Frost Quake

Early in the morning of February 10th, 

a loud boom was heard across Indiana & Southwest Ohio.

The local news gave this report.

Indianapolis —

Many Hoosiers reported hearing a loud boom early Thursday morning. It was so loud in some areas, it woke many people up and even rattled some houses. Experts say the noise was probably something called "frost quakes."

It happens when there is a sudden cracking in soil or rock which is caused by the freezing and expanding of water in the ground. Thursday was one of the coldest mornings of the year. In some areas, temperatures plunged below zero degrees and the wind chills were even colder.

IUPUI ecology professors say unlike an earthquake where you feel it across hundreds or thousands of miles, frost quakes are really localized because it doesn't freeze very deep. 

 I didn't hear the boom, but I did feel the cold that morning!