If I play them, will they explode ...

[Pixelated]

Anybody know if this brutally cold weather can damage DVDs and CDs?

Asking for the dozens sitting in my car and in my non-climate-controlled storage units ...

[csquared]

They should be fine. However, they may be brittle and prone to shattering if handled roughly. leave them in a room temperature area to warm up. Don't apply extra heat.

[Pixelated]

Okay, thanks.

[RealUnimportant]

The discs will be fine. The more likely problem you might encounter is condensation inside the disc player, especially if you're putting frozen discs into a warm player. This could cause anything from skipping to short-circuit, so consider warming them up a bit beforehand, even if it's just holding them under your jacket for a minute or two.

[lordlundar]

Well thermal shock with these extremes is a thing, but that's easily remedied by just setting them someplace dry at room temperature for a couple of hours.

The only other concern would be burned disks as the data stored on them is done in a different manner than professional ones. The burned ones use a gel ink that crystallizes when hit with the burning laser. Those are more vulnerable to extreme temperatures then the professional ones so you'll have to test them out.