OMG! People are saying it's so cold trees will explode. That viral claim may be overblown

We're not even one month into 2026, and with everything that's happening, now we have to deal with exploding trees? Really?

No, not entirely.

Much of Canada and the northern United States are enduring a deep freeze, with temperatures plummeting below –20 C — lower than –40 C with the wind chill in some places — across much of Canada and the U.S. in the coming days.

As people in these areas brace for the frigid temperatures, caused by a polar vortex disruption pushing Arctic air all the way to the U.S. Deep South, a viral social media post claimed it would be cold enough in as many as seven states, from North and South Dakota to Michigan, to cause trees to explode.

When temperatures drop significantly and suddenly enough, it can cause what are known as frost cracks, said Simon Peacock, an ISA-certified arborist with Green Drop Tree Care in Winnipeg.

These vertical splits can sometimes span the length of the trunk, and it can be quite loud when this happens — sounding like, some might say, an explosion.

The sudden chill causes water and sap inside the tree to freeze rapidly, said Bill McNee, a forest health specialist with Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources.