It is indeed possible for trees to split apart in extreme conditions and to do so quite noisily, she said, typically when there’s a big swing in temperatures. In these instances, sap rapidly freezes when the mercury plummets and the tree expands, its trunk or limbs busting open like the buttons on a too-tight shirt after Thanksgiving dinner.

Chicago residents are weathering a dangerous cold snap this week — but so are the trees.

The freezing front is set to descend on the US on Friday evening, with up to 172 million people forecast to be affected by the snow, ice and wind chills.