Is frost wedging more important in a warm or a cold climate?

1 answer

Frost wedging is more important in cold climates. This physical weathering process occurs when water seeps into cracks in rocks and then freezes. As water freezes, it expands by about 9%, putting pressure on the surrounding rock. This cyclic freeze-thaw action can lead to the gradual breaking apart of rocks.

In warm climates, the temperatures generally remain above freezing, limiting the occurrence of freeze-thaw cycles. Consequently, frost wedging is most effective and prevalent in areas where temperatures fluctuate around the freezing point, allowing for repeated cycles of freezing and thawing.