Frost quakes — loud booms from underground during freezing temperatures — might be alarming to hear, but meteorologists say they seldom cause damage.

Frost quakes rarely cause damage but occur when underground water freezes and expands until pressure causes soil and rocks to crack under the strain.

While they feature a loud popping noise, frost quakes are harmless. When water underground rapidly begins to freeze and expand in extreme Arctic outbreaks, like the one hitting northwest Ohio ...

"This pressure eventually causes cracks to form, which can produce a sudden popping or cracking noise, resembling the sound of a small earthquake. However, unlike earthquakes, frost quakes are ...

If you hear a loud cracking, banging, booming or rattling noise in the middle of the night, you may be hearing a frost or ice quake. Environment Canada issued extreme cold alerts on Monday across ...