frost quake
Ice expansion tremor
A frost quake is a sudden cracking or booming sound caused by rapid freezing of water in soil or rock.
When temperatures drop sharply, expanding ice fractures the ground, producing noises that can sound like an explosion or gunshot.
Also called a cryoseism.
We heard a loud frost quake in the middle of the night.
Below the freezing point
- arcticOf extreme northern cold
- polar vortexPersistent circulating cold air mass
- cold snapBrief period of bitter chill
- deep freezeIntense prolonged cold
January · February · December · bitter cold · frigid · frozen ground · ice storm · wind chill
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
- vibrationRapid oscillating movement
- magnitudeSize or scale
- epicenterPoint above seismic origin
- seismographEarthquake measuring device
seismology · ground shaking · earth tremor · microseism · geophysics · shockwave · fault · aftershock
Soil solidified by cold
- thermal stressStrain from temperature change
- cryogenicExtremely low temperature
- freeze-thawIce forming and melting repeatedly
- cryosphereEarth's frozen water systems
Loud deep sound
- crackNarrow break or attempt
- bangSudden loud noise
- rumbleLow rolling sound
- thunderousExtremely loud, resounding
explosion · sonic boom · reverberate · echo · snap · shockwave · deafening · percussive
Change in warmth level
- freeze-thaw cycleRepeated icing and melting
- cold spellExtended period of frigidity
- flash freezeRapid extreme-cold preservation
- extreme coldSevere low temperature
subzero
Below the freezing point
- arcticOf extreme northern cold
- polar vortexPersistent circulating cold air mass
- cold snapBrief period of bitter chill
deep freeze · January · February · December · bitter cold · frigid · frozen ground · ice storm · wind chill · cold front
tremor
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
seismograph · seismology · ground shaking · earth tremor · microseism · geophysics · shockwave · fault · aftershock
frozen ground
Soil solidified by cold
- thermal stressStrain from temperature change
- cryogenicExtremely low temperature
- freeze-thawIce forming and melting repeatedly
boom
Loud deep sound
thunderous · explosion · sonic boom · reverberate · echo · snap · shockwave · deafening · percussive · startling
temperature fluctuation
Change in warmth level
- freeze-thaw cycleRepeated icing and melting
- cold spellExtended period of frigidity
- flash freezeRapid extreme-cold preservation
- weather phenomenatornado, wind, hurricane, gust, blizzard
- cryoseismology
- Frosthoarfrost, rime, frozen dew, ice crystals, defrost