Frost tubes show signs of spring

ONTONAGON — The thaw has begun. Wednesday will be the first day of spring.

The partial thaw of three frost tubes located on three Ontonagon County highways was recorded by the Ontonagon County Road Commission Wednesday.

The tubes are located on U.S. 45 in Woodspur, U.S. 45 near Bruce Crossing and M-64 between White Pine and Bergland.

One week ago the tubes were frozen solid, to 58 inches in Woodspur, 56 inches near Bruce Crossing and 64 inches between White Pine and Bergland. Those readings were made by the commission on March 6 when the temperatures were 2 degrees below zero in Woodspur, 1 degrees below zero in Bruce Crossing and minus 15 degrees at the M-64 site.

In the reading taken Wednesday, all three tubes had begun thawing. On U.S. 45 in Woodspur the tube is thawed to 14 inches and frozen to 62 inches and the temperature was 39 degrees.

Near Bruce Crossing Wednesday, the temperature was 34 degrees when the tube was frozen to 58 inches and thawed to 12 inches.

At the tube between White Pine and Bergland on Wednesday it was frozen to 67 inches but thawed to 10 inches.

One year ago on March 16, all three tubes were still frozen.

— Jan Tucker