A Cold Earthquake

--> Recently here weather had become quite frigid with the temperatures plunging  to record low levels. In the Memphis area the thermometer dropped into the single digits for a couple of evenings and made it quite uncomfortable for all concerned.  In 1811-1812 the weather was equally cold with winter storms raging across the country, especially in the Northeastern United States .  The temperature there plunged so low that it caused a phenomenon related to the cold called a cryoseism.  This is an earthquake  caused by the cold not by normal geological activity.  This phenomenon happened at Salem, Massachusetts.  Below  is the report of that event with other weather phenomena in the region.  


-->

Source New Madrid Compendium Number 163,  “Cold Weather”,  Boston Independent Chronicle, February 6, 1812, Page 3, Column 1.