What Are Icequakes & Could They Soon Happen In North Dakota?

While the rest of the country is bracing for what they call 'extremely cold weather and heavy snow,' we're rather used to it in North Dakota. Many news outlets have reported that some areas affected by the recent weather may experience something called "Icequakes".

If you've lived in North Dakota most of your life, you may read this and think, "Bologna". That's fair. I've lived here for more than 7 years and have never felt, heard of, or experienced anything like this.

(Also Read: North Dakota: Experts Say You Shouldn't Leave Your Wipers Up)

What is an Icequake?

Icequakes are sometimes also referred to as "Frost quakes". According to USA Today, icequakes are seismic events, caused by a sudden cracking action in frozen soil and/or bedrock saturated with water or ice. The source says it can cause shaking and sound like gunshots.

It's said that they are too small to be picked up by seismographs and can only be heard approximately 300 yards away. Nonetheless, if you hear or feel something like this on a day with subzero temperatures, this could possibly be the cause.

According to AccuWeather, frost quakes typically only occur in places like Alaska, Canada, and the Northeastern United States. There are exceptions to this.

For the most part, these typically happen with extreme cold snaps. And yes, according to KTIV, these have happened in North and South Dakota.

Looking ahead to what we can expect weather-wise in North Dakota, I doubt we will experience this, but it is something interesting to keep in mind moving forward.