As temperatures across the Midwest tumbled below zero overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, many reported being awakened by the sound of loud booms, cracks and pops. Some even reported feeling tremors.

A frost quake, also called a cryoseism, is a rare weather phenomenon that occurs during extremely cold winter conditions.

What to know about the "frost quake" phenomenon amid brutal temperatures. Cryoseisms, also known as "frost quakes" or "ice quakes," may have been the reason loud booms and banging sounds were reported ...