ClarksvilleNow.com Reporting
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Many Middle Tennessee residents have expressed concerns about “loud booms” or “explosions” in the middle of the night.
WKRN News 2 reports that there is a scientific explanation behind the booms, called cryoseism.
Cryoseismic booms, or frost quakes, are caused when frozen water expands quickly in the ground, according to the National Weather Service.
When water runs into the ground and freezes, it expands when the temperature drops dramatically, putting stress on the surrounding soil or rock. The “explosion” is the result of the pressure being released with a booming sound and slight tremor.
News 2 has received reports from Ashland City, Hermitage, Hohenwald, Nolensville and other places across the Middle Tennessee area.
The National Weather Service said this activity is harmless.
Cryoseism typically occurs in the Northeastern United States and Canada.
*WKRN News 2 contributed to this report.