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As winter temperatures have plunged Kansas Forest Service’s Forest Health Coordinator, Shad Hufnagel, discusses why one might hear trees cracking during cold temperatures. Hufnagel explains the science of frost cracking, and why one should not be worried about exploding trees.

“I think instead what people are actually hearing is most likely a winter condition, a naturally occurring winter condition that’s been likely around as long as trees and cold weather have coexisted called frost cracking,” said Hufnagel.

Frost cracking happens when the moisture and sap inside a tree are exposed to extremely cold temperatures. As the sap and tissues freeze, they expand, creating tremendous pressure within the tree.

“If enough pressure forms, it can cause the tree to crack or split. Sometimes those splits are deep and long and generally run vertically within the tree and oftentimes they are audible,” he said. “When folks hear those, they may describe it as like a gunshot going off or like a firework. So certainly, it can be a startling experience.”

He says that people should not be worried about trying to prevent this naturally occurring event from happening. Frost cracking usually affects larger, mature trees and is a natural process that most trees can withstand. It’s hard to predict which trees will experience it, so trying to identify specific trees at risk isn’t very practical. More information can be found at kansasforests.org.