Rapid weathering chemical weathering is favored by warm and wet conditions. Cold and wet favors mechanical weathering through freeze- thaw cycles. Without water there can be very little weathering. One of the most common forms of weathering in areas that have frequent freeze/thaw cycles is ice wedging. This type of mechanical weathering breaks apart rocks and other materials using the expansion of freezing water. Water seeps into small cracks in a rock where it freezes, expands and causes the crack to widen.