As an Arctic blast settles over the northern United States, a viral warning has seized social media: it is going to get so cold that trees will literally explode. The phrase is dramatic, but it is rooted in a real winter phenomenon that can turn quiet forests into something that sounds like a rifle range.

A viral social media post shared thousands of times warned of an “exploding tree risk."

Can trees really explode in the extreme cold? Rumors are spreading on social media that the frigid temperatures in the Upper Midwest this week could mean exploding trees. FOX 9's Cody Matz breaks down this viral claim.