Meteorologists are warning that an incoming subzero cold snap comes with an increased risk of "exploding trees." Arborists say it's a real thing that

Forecasters warn an extreme winter storm could trigger rare “exploding trees” across the Upper Midwest as temperatures plunge below zero, causing sap inside trees to freeze and crack bark. The storm is expected to bring widespread snow,

FARGO — A phenomenon called “frost crack,” sometimes referred to on social media as “exploding trees,” is gaining attention as temperatures in Minnesota and North Dakota are expected to drop to 20 degrees below zero.

Social media treats the tree-popping phenomenon as a sign of the apocalypse, but Indigenous peoples have long used the sound of cracking timber to mark the passage of winter. Turns out, it takes a specific set of meteorological conditions to turn a pine tree into a percussion instrument.

With the extreme cold arriving, some misinformed statements made the rounds about trees potentially exploding.