Frost Line Depth in Northumberland County, PA: Pennsylvania Codes Range 30

No official local value

No official frost line depth is published for Northumberland County.

No verified code nearby; verified Pennsylvania codes range 30–36 in.

Source and how we checked

We searched this place’s own code and website and found no published frost line depth.

Climate: 134 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Sunbury, 4.1 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

30–36 inrange of verified Pennsylvania codes
134nights a year at or below 32 °F
76%of nearby soil rated “moderate” for frost action (USDA)

Does Northumberland County have an official frost line depth?

No adopted frost line depth found for Northumberland County in its official documents (checked Oct 2026). No verified code lies near Northumberland County; the Pennsylvania codes we verified range from 30 to 36 in. Ask the building department for Northumberland County’s own number before you dig.

What frost line depth does Northumberland County use for footings under Table R301.2(1)?

Call 811 (PA One Call) at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the Northumberland County building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 36 in (the deepest verified state value) unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Northumberland County?

Drawn with the deepest Pennsylvania official value (36 in). Confirm Northumberland County’s own depth before you dig.

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in Northumberland County: dig at least 36 in (91 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Using the nearby official value of 36 in until Northumberland County confirms its own
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	36 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	36 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	42 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	36 in	No code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in Northumberland County?

Average lows are at or below freezing from Nov to Mar. 134 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 18.9 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Sunbury station, 4.1 mi away, elevation 575 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	18.9	20.6	27.4	37.2	47.2	56.8	60.3	59.2	51.2	40.4	31.8	24.6
High	35.3	39	47.7	61.1	71.7	79.8	84.4	82.2	75.1	63.6	50.8	40.1

Northumberland County has fewer freezing nights than 2 of the 4 other Pennsylvania places we track. The Pennsylvania median is 134. Coldest: Mercer County; mildest: Reading.

How likely is the soil in Northumberland County to heave?

Moderate 76%High 21%

USDA rates the sampled soil around Northumberland County as 4% low, 76% moderate, 21% high for frost action (main soils: Weikert, Alvira, Berks).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

Northumberland County at a glance

Frost line depth: No official local value
Population (2023 est.): 90,120
Mean annual temperature: 50.3 °F
ZIP codes (28): 17017 · 17730 · 17749 · 17756 · 17772 · 17777 · 17801 · 17821 · 17823 · 17824 · 17830 · 17832 · 17834 · 17836 · 17840 · 17847 · 17850 · 17851 · 17857 · 17860 · 17865 · 17866 · 17867 · 17868 · 17872 · 17881 · 17941 · 17964