Can trees 'explode' from extremely cold weather in Minnesota?

Zoë Jackson, Star Tribune on Jan 21, 2026

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Extreme cold can be life-threatening for people, animals and ... trees?

Minnesota is in for dangerous cold Jan. 22-23, Thursday and Friday, with the National Weather Service issuing extreme cold warnings for most of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

A viral social media post has warned “exploding” trees will accompany the arctic blast.

“Exploding trees are possible in the Midwest and Northern Plains on Friday and Saturday, as temperatures are forecasted to fall 20 degrees below zero!” claimed “degreed meteorologist” Max Velocity in a post on X with nearly 7 million impressions.

But can trees actually explode due to cold temps?

Tree bark typically provides enough insulation and protection against freezing and cracking during the winter, according to the National Forest Foundation. But sometimes temps drop low enough that the sap inside a tree can begin to freeze.

“Sap contains water, so it expands when frozen, putting pressure on the bark, which can break and create an explosion,” the National Forest Foundation said.

However, it’s unlikely in Minnesota, where trees are acclimated to the cold, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jake Beitlich.

“That’s not a concern for us here,” he said. “You can get vertical cracks in the bark when the sap and everything that’s in the tree drops below freezing quickly.”

Those cracks can lead to popping sounds. But “explode” is more of an attention-grabber than a threat or real hazard, Beitlich said.

But that doesn’t mean Minnesota is out of the woods when it comes to hazardous weather this weekend.

Friday morning will drop to 20 below in most locations and close to 30 below in northern half of the state, Beitlich said. Wind is a risk too, with windchills of 40 below in most locations and 50 below in the north.

“It’s the coldest year we’ve had since probably 2019,” Beitlich said.

Anyone venturing outside should be sure to have extra warm clothes and charged phones in case they run into car trouble, he said.

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