Fake news.

tj

So AI, again? ugh!!

I can't say for sure and I have to admit that I don't know everything. Who'd of thought! ;-))

I've heard that lightning can do that to a tree, and I would think that idea to be plausible.

But if cold could do that, could someone explain to me why I've never seen that happen during the 40+ years I lived in the northern MN wild woods, enduring temperatures down to -52df?

And, it may be a simple explanation, but years ago, a person had to know things to perform certain types of jobs. They would be taught by experts and became experts themselves in their field.

Fast forward to today, there is so much information, both correct and incorrect, on the internet, and some people thinking, because they can 'Look it up', it somehow makes them an expert on that, and they 'run' with it, even though they've never had any practical experience in that subject and no verification of credibility at all. IMO:

It may indeed be AI. But, I do remember the sound of trees "cracking" in the 1985 cold wave (and trees swaying back & forth from very strong winds which could've aggravated it), tho obviously not seeing anything like that. I think conifers are better at resisting the cold w/their resinous sap that doesn't really expand like pure water freezing does, just gradually gets harder. Yes, I realize hardwood sap isn't pure water, but it may have a higher percentage of it.

You have a point Ben,

If enough vertical cracks are present, the tremendous weight of the upper tree could cause what we see in the picture, with thinner/weaker parts of the tree spreading outward, and the upper tree dropping down simultaneously.

You might wonder then, why doesn't the top of the tree topple over then?

The answer to that is, trees that are growing along with other big trees, tend to be supported by the surrounding trees that are near to them.

Anyone that's tried to drop a large spreading tree, residing in an established wood lot, knows exactly what I mean.

It's not as dramatic as exploding, but, for example, in the terrible 2007 freeze that killed one of the largest private collections of Magnolias in the US (I think it was in South Carolina) the trunks literally did "blow up" because the water froze when they were in active growth. Since many of them were grafted, there were no roots to return from.

If we stay below 32F on Sunday which we probably will, it will be the 7th longest stretch of < 32F weather around here since records began in 1872! I'm surprised not to see the 1985 winter, or the 2013-2015 polar vortex winters, on this. 1977 was considered a devastating winter. But I've heard that year also had a severe drought leading up to it, more serious than what most of us have had this time. DC area plant guru "AH" said it was so bad, some American hollies were killed. 🤯

😠

from https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/

UBG, I believe I've seen that Chambersburg, PA, had a full-month Jan 1977 avg temp of 15F, which was the coldest Jan on their records. Hagerstown's 1977 Jan avg was 18.6F (I remember it well), which was 3rd on the record. Coldest Hagerstown Jan was 1918 at 17.6F.

https://www.i4weather.net/hotcold.txt

Bomb cyclone looks less severe, at least the inland effects, on latest forecast.

Long range forecast shows extraordinary cold coming straight from the north pole by Feb 6th, but looks like most gets deflected eastward into eastern Canada. We will see.

That looks fake. It's too symmetrical, things don't usually break/crack in a diamond pattern with all corners attached. (yes trees crack and "explode" --- but I'm calling B.S. on the pic)