I find the thought of frost to 36" more than a little frightening!

One gets used to it. Remember up in Zones 1 &2 they have Permafrost. That is
why conservationists are so opposed to drilling for oil in the Arctic. The
permanently frozen ground ecology is extremely fragile.

I recall being in St Paul/Minneapolis in ... April? ... many years ago, and
thought I'd found the perfect climate -- until my host pointed out there had
been about 5 feet of snow in the Uni staff car park not many weeks earlier. I
was chilled just thinking about it!

Snicker! Central NY is not quite a bad as Minnesota. We average 119" of snow.
However, we do have four seasons (count them) of varying lengths, average only
4 days a summer over 90 F. We have no hurricanes, tidal waves, forest fires, or
earthquakes. Unfortunately, we do have the most polluted lake on the continent,
which they are slowly trying to redeem. And we have some very nice scenery,
even more spectacular in the Adirondacks, and famous autumn foliage.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Yogi Berra