'Ice quake' reported in Madison
MADISON--The shaking felt this afternoon in areas near Lake Mendota was most likely an ice quake, according to UW-Madison geologists.
The university's geology department seismometer recorded a tremor at 12:50 p.m. today that lasted two or three seconds, the university said in a news release.
"The event was very localized and did not have the hallmarks of an earthquake," according to the news release. But "dozens" of staff university members called either UW Police or maintenance staff to ask about the disturbance.
Ice quakes usually come with loud cracking noises. They are caused by large shifts in ice and are most commonly triggered by drastic temperature changes, like those of the past few days, said UW-Madison seismologist Cliff Thurber.
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