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Why sudden loud booms sometimes occur when it's cold outside (accuweather.com)
9 points by goles on Jan 20, 2024 | hide | past | favorite | 3 comments



Plus another one, ice expanding on a Frozen Lake.

It has a unique sound. I had to find a youtube for a friend in the south who never heard that sound. Here it is, you may need to raise your volume:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFSb-7PUjOU

When we were on the lake, for fun, we would scare the newbies to make them think the ice was breaking. A right of passage for all kids in my area, sadly, I have not heard that sound for a very long time.

In fact, these days I am too afraid to walk on a frozen lake in my area. Decades ago, there were times you could drive on a frozen lake.


I grew up near the shores of Lake Huron. If you took a walk out onto the lake on a cold, dark night when the water was frozen solid, you would often hear these sounds. Pretty neat experience. Much enhanced with a clear sky and full moon.

> Decades ago, there were times you could drive on a frozen lake.

Most winters, it was very common to drive out onto inland lakes for ice fishing and whatnot. I never see that as much anymore, I'm not sure if it's because the ice doesn't get as thick, or if people just don't want to take the risk anymore.

When I was a teen, my dad and I drove out onto a lake in a Ford Escort. He was a very conservative driver. I was not. He very much regretted letting me have a turn at the wheel.


Once a year or so I'm at our cabin just outside of Boulder and it gets cold enough that you can hear some trees freeze and pop.




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