Amherst County, VA Roof Snow Load - 21 psf

Amherst County, VA: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English

In depth, not weight: that's roughly 46.2 inches of fresh, light snow, 16.8 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 4.2 inches of solid ice - snow that heavy is rare here but ice from a freeze-thaw cycle adds up far faster than the depth suggests. Modern-code homes carry a load like this without issue; an older addition, a carport, or any flat-roofed section is where it is worth checking first.

Amherst County, VA: quick facts

• Design roof snow load21 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map30 psf
• National rank#448 of 2,758
• Virginia rank#7 of 110
• Population31,650
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal15.7 in.
• FIPS51009

Amherst County by the numbers

Nationally that's #448 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 16%; within Virginia alone, Amherst County ranks #7 of 110. That's 2.7 psf above Virginia's own county-average design load of 18.3 psf.

Amherst County, FIPS 51009, is home to 31,650 people near 37.6293°N 79.1548°W. Its 30 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 21 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.

Amherst County's snowfall, most winters

15.7 in. a year: that's Amherst County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at PEDLAR DAM, VA US (7.3 mi away). See the density guide.

Before you rely on Amherst County's number

Treat the Amherst County figure as a starting point, not a final answer: it assumes standard occupancy, a heated structure and a moderately sheltered site, per ASCE 7-22's own defaults. Exposed terrain, an unheated building or a steeper roof all shift the real number.

For a real application, skip the county number and go straight to the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool - enter your coordinates and it returns a site-specific figure a plan reviewer will recognize. See the methodology guide.