Residents across central and western Virginia might soon hear loud, house-rattling booms—not from storms or earthquakes, but from frost quakes. These cryoseisms occur when saturated ground rapidly freezes, causing rocks and soil to crack from expanding ice. With wet conditions and plunging temperatures this week, areas from Richmond to Roanoke face ideal conditions. Frost quakes are harmless but can sound explosive, typically striking overnight. They may cause minor surface cracks, but no significant structural damage is expected.