-20 Trees "popping"

[peckfarm]

Perhaps a question for our more northern friends.
This morning the temperature was -20 f. I could hear trees cracking and popping form the cold. The sound echoed and could be heard all around the woods. Will a normal healthy tree crack to the point of damage in very cold temperatures?

[Ausable]

Perhaps a question for our more northern friends.
This morning the temperature was -20 f. I could hear trees cracking and popping form the cold. The sound echoed and could be heard all around the woods. Will a normal healthy tree crack to the point of damage in very cold temperatures?

The trees here do the same thing -- usually when below 0F. I'm not aware of any unusual damage do to very cold weather. Most of our damage in Winter - to the trees - is from freezing rain ice buildup and heavy wind. Yep - in very cold weather even the buildings complain and make noise. --- Mike

[jmayerl]

yeah we had -16 here last week and i heard a couple pops too. My house made alot more noise though!:o

[red maples]

No I don't believe there is any damage. If you ever watch mythbusters. they did a test on a pine tree and dumped liquid nitrogen on it. the myth was that if a tree got to cold the trunk of the tree would burst. Well with sensors they were able to get the tree down to -173* C or something unnaturally cold anyway and the tree was fine. Of course they blew it up anyway with explosives because thats what they do.

[PARKER MAPLE]

wow red maples. thats an idea for thinning out the sugarbush, get myth busters to come up and blow them up..Ha Ha Ha.
Rookie


No I don't believe there is any damage. If you ever watch mythbusters. they did a test on a pine tree and dumped liquid nitrogen on it. the myth was that if a tree got to cold the trunk of the tree would burst. Well with sensors they were able to get the tree down to -173* C or something unnaturally cold anyway and the tree was fine. Of course they blew it up anyway with explosives because thats what they do.

[twobears1224]

if it gets really cold trees will crack and split open...minus 20 doesn,t hurt them but when it gets minus 30/40 or more it can split them wide open.i,ve never seen where it kills them tho.

delbert

[70 Buick]

No I don't believe there is any damage. If you ever watch mythbusters. they did a test on a pine tree and dumped liquid nitrogen on it. the myth was that if a tree got to cold the trunk of the tree would burst. Well with sensors they were able to get the tree down to -173* C or something unnaturally cold anyway and the tree was fine. Of course they blew it up anyway with explosives because thats what they do.

Seen that episode it was hillarious

but then again they blow everything up eventually LOL

[user587]

Lots of noises when it gets real cold. Out on the lakes, the cracking ice is almost scary sometimes. Sometimes our deck pops so loud that it wakes us in the night.

gotta luv winter...

[Ausable]

Lots of noises when it gets real cold. Out on the lakes, the cracking ice is almost scary sometimes. Sometimes our deck pops so loud that it wakes us in the night.

gotta luv winter...

Yep - Ice fishing in - very cold weather - over deep water - when it is making ice and cracking - sounds like Sonar Pings - kinda strange and spooky. Also - Saw it raise nails on docks over a few year period of expansion and contraction - where you would have to drive them back in. Yep - Old Man Winter -- gotta love it - or flee way South -- Mike

[collinsmapleman2012]

usually -30 or -40 will blow out limbs too, and if the sap in a maple didnt go in the roots in the winter, they would blow up too :(

[farmall h]

Ok, no limbs were blowing off my trees last Monday! -35 below in the North East Kingdom of Vermont. Yes they do pop...and have been known to split or crack on a growth seam...

[stoweski]

The other day it was -15.4 here. I could hear my joints cracking and popping from the cold while walking the dog! :D

The deck was a popping too... all night long. Didn't get much sleep. I'm a skier so I love the cold but I'm glad that weather is past us and hopefully never to return until next year!

[benchmark]

The trees were sure popping around here last Friday morning. I had -39*f when i went outside to fill my boiler with wood and start the vehicle.

[farmall h]

Peckfarm, your not that far East from me...maybe 50 miles? I have seen -44 below back in 97' I believe. I can't say that I have seen a damage over the years. Possibly hair line cracks and maybe the tree heals come spring? Boy they do make quite a "snap" sound!:o