Frost cracks appear as vertical splits in the trunk of a tree and are the result of plant tissue expansion and contraction.

When temperatures plunge and the air goes painfully still, people in northern forests sometimes hear a sharp crack that sounds like a gunshot. That eerie noise has fueled a viral claim that trees ...

Social media posts warning of "exploding trees" in subzero temperatures are mischaracterizing a phenomenon known as frost cracks. Frost cracks form when water inside trees freezes and expands. As a ...

Will it get so cold that the trees in your yard explode and fall over? Here's the weather science behind all the "exploding ...