In recent days, videos and photos of trees apparently exploding during intense cold spells have gone viral on American social media. Some are made with AI, but many others are real. While it may seem bizarre, botanical experts clarify that this is a natural phenomenon known as frost cracks, and not actual explosions.
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How the phenomenon is triggered
The phenomenon occurs when temperatures drop sharply, preventing the tree from adapting. Inside the trunk, the sap and water in the tissues freeze rapidly. As water increases in volume during freezing, the internal pressure can overcome the resistance of the bark and wood, causing a sudden split that produces a gunshot-like boom.
Seiler likens the process to a can of soda left in the freezer: As the liquid freezes, the pressure breaks the container. Despite the noise, the danger to people is minimal; wood fragments rarely pose a risk. However, the wound created can become an entry point for fungi, bacteria and insects, compromising the health of the plant in the long term.
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Tree damage and survival
The survival of the tree depends on where the crack occurs. If it concerns a branch, the tree can survive by sacrificing that part, while damage to the base of the trunk can be fatal, unless the species has the ability to regenerate from underground buds.
Experts point out that during winter storms, the real risk is not sudden “explosions”, but the accumulation of ice and wet snow, which can cause branches to fall or tree tops to crash. Species such as swamp pine, with long needles that hold more ice, are particularly vulnerable, increasing the risk of damage to homes, cars and people. Despite the dramatic effect captured by viral videos, the phenomenon of frost cracks is a natural response of plants to extreme cold.
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