This past Saturday we had something wild happen here at Foley…
Around 2-3 pm on Saturday, January 4th, those of us living here near Foley and Whitefish Lake experienced mysterious loud booms and ground tremors. This is called a frost quake, or cryoseism—this can occur when a sudden drop in temperature causes moisture in the ground to freeze rapidly, leading to a build-up of pressure that is abruptly released, resulting in the so-called “quake”. It feels a bit like a small earthquake! Who knew we would experience that all way in Minnesota, now we understand our west coast friends a bit better!
Camp has way less snow then in this pic right now! That’s what caused the quake!
Frost quakes are relatively rare in Minnesota but can occur under specific conditions:
- Rapid Temperature Drop: A swift decline from above freezing to subzero temperatures causes water in the soil to freeze quickly.
- Saturated Ground: Prior to freezing, the ground must be saturated with moisture from rain, melted snow, or sleet.
- Minimal Snow Cover: Limited snow insulation allows the cold to penetrate the ground more effectively, facilitating rapid freezing.
In the days leading up to the frost quakes, the Pine River and Crosslake areas experienced significant temperature fluctuations. Looking at the temperatures during the first of the year, it went from highs around 18°F to lows nearing -8°F between January 1 and January 6, 2025. This rapid cooling, combined with saturated ground conditions and minimal snow cover, created the perfect environment for frost quakes to occur.
We were definitely a bit startled by the loud booms and felt vibrations similar to minor earthquakes. While frost quakes can cause superficial cracks in the ground, they typically do not result in significant structural damage. Rest assured, this frost quake did no damage to anything here at Foley or in our homes, but it was a really cool reminder of the power of nature here at Foley!
The lake may be frozen but the ground is very dry because there is no snow!