ONTONAGON — More than two weeks of frigid weather is reflecting in Ontonagon County frost tubes.
Ontonagon County Road Commission frost tubes, located on U.S. 45, near Bruce Crossing, U.S. 45 at Woodspur, and M-64, between White Pine and Bergland, are monitored as a way to determine the extent of spring thaw.
The bitter cold weather recently has already frozen the roads to depths recorded in February of last year.
On Feb. 16 last year, the Bruce Crossing tube was frozen to a depth of 42 inches. This year, on Jan. 18 the tube was already frozen to 45 inches.
It took the Woodspur tube until Feb. 18, 2017, to reach 45 inches, but that is the same depth it was on Thursday.
The tube between White Pine and Bergland is traditionally the one with the deepest frost reading. One year ago in February, it was 50 inches. On Thursday, it was 52 inches.
—Jan Tucker