On a brutally cold night, it’s not unusual to hear a sharp crack outside that sounds like a gunshot or a firecracker. The next morning, you might find a long split running up a trunk and wonder if the tree somehow “exploded” during the night.
That phrase gets tossed around a lot during big cold snaps, partly because the sound is so sudden and unsettling, and partly because winter damage can look dramatic for any plant life. But are trees really exploding from the cold? Why do they create such loud noises when cracks appear? Click on to find out.