What does 「張りつめている」 mean?


In the context of 「冬場は朝の空気がピンと張{は}りつめている」I'm confused about 「張りつめている」.

I've seen examples where `空気が張りつめている` means `a tense atmosphere/air,` but how
would this be expressed in the context of "winter morning air"? Can winter
morning air be "tense"? And would this a positive or negative feeling?

I've come across a synonym in an online dictionary that said "tingling" but
gave no example. When I think of "tingling/tingley" I think of "electrifying"
or "chill(ing)" - something that sends a feeling through your body - so would
it be a stretch to say that this could possibly be similar to `brisk` or
`crisp` or `bracing` (or any other synonym of "brisk")? I just can't get past
a description of winter morning air as being `tense` or `stifling`.




If **空気がピンと張っている** is difficult to understand, I think that **"空気が澄んでいる** :
the air/atmosphere is pure" is close. If the temperature is low and dry, there
usually is not so much water vapor in the air, it normally doesn't contain
much dust, sand or something. Then you can feel the pure air. You may feel
lively. I think it's a close feel of **"空気がピンと張り詰めている".**

New edition of Edit 1:

Normally on a cold day, air(it contains water vapor) which is a gaseous state
tends to be solid state, which is likely to be a crystal. It's more ordered
and lucid. if you have ever touched crystal, it's rigid, tense.

"空気がピンと張っている” is more of a metaphorical expression, it's not really talking
about physics or chemistry though, but it might be related to the condition
that the air has been changing into a more rigid state.

Below Old edition: which is more related to stifling case, stressful
situation.

"張る" is used when you string your guitar. **ギターの弦を強く張る.** implies to string
your guitar tighter. If you ever have strung a guitar and the string is not
tight, it sounds really dull and not tense. On the other hand, if your guitar
string is very tight, it sounds sharper but maybe making you worry about due
to the high tension of guitar string. It might lead to the guitar being
broken. **"空気がピンと張り詰めている"** is a metaphorical expression. But it may be
related to guitar. The high strung guitar is high tension, then it leads to
broken guitar. So, if the air of some situation is in a high tension, it might
be going to be broken.

