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So what was it?
The most likely explanation is that it was a cryoseism, also known as a frost quake.
Cyroseisms are rare, localized seismic events that occur when a sudden drop in temperature freezes the groundwater, which then expands and cracks the soil and rock. The crack will release a sudden burst of explosive energy, resulting in a loud noise and the shaking of the ground. They usually occur between midnight and dawn.
Temperatures north of the city — in Newmarket, Richmond Hill, and Sutton, for example — were a chilly -20 C or colder on Christmas Eve.
But before we get into the Arctic freezer, we might get up to 10C/50F on Saturday
And actually that worries me in terms of getting really really cold next week. 50 degrees would melt most of the snowpack around Chicagoland, and thus will not provide heat reflection. Hope we get a coating of snow when the Arctic air hits!
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