What is frost line or frost depth?
- The frost line is simply the deepest point in the ground to which groundwater will freeze. The frost depth depends on the climatic conditions of an area, the heat transfer properties of the soil and adjacent materials, and on nearby heat sources.
- It’s also referred to as the frost depth.
- The line varies by latitude, it is deeper closer to the poles. Per Federal Highway Administration Publication Number FHWA-HRT-08-057, the maximum frost depth observed in the contiguous United States ranges from zero to about eight feet (2.4m). Below that depth, the temperature varies but is always above 0 °C (32 °F).
How deep is the frost line in southern Ontario?
Ontario: Map of frost penetration depths for Southern Ontario.- Ottawa: 1.8 meters (5.9 ft)
- Windsor: 1.0 meter (3.3 ft)
