Androscoggin County, ME Roof Snow Load - 56 psf

How much snow is too much for a roof in Androscoggin County, ME?

Picture it, not just weigh it: 123.2 in. if it's fresh powder, 44.8 in. once it settles, or a mere 11.2 in. if it's ice. This ranks among the highest mapped design loads in the country outside case-study terrain - roof snow removal and periodic structural inspection are standard practice here.

Androscoggin County at a glance

• Design roof snow load56 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map80 psf
• National rank#6 of 2,758
• Maine rank#4 of 12
• Population115,272
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal65.1 in.
• FIPS23001

How Androscoggin County compares

56 psf ranks #6 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 1%) - and #4 of 12 in Maine. 47.8 psf is Maine's typical county figure - Androscoggin County beats it by 8.2 psf.

Population 115,272 (FIPS 23001), roughly 44.1677°N 70.2074°W. The 80 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 56 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.

Typical snowfall in Androscoggin County, ME

NOAA's 30-year normal for Androscoggin County: 65.1 in. of snow a year, from the LEWISTON, ME US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Androscoggin County figure assumes

This is a county-level reference figure for a typical heated home built to Risk Category II (ordinary residential), on a partially exposed lot - the assumptions ASCE 7-22 itself treats as the default case. A steeper roof, a fully exposed hilltop lot, an unheated structure, or a higher risk category all change the actual number.

Androscoggin County's permit office wants an address-specific figure, not this county average - the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool is free, takes under a minute, and outputs a PDF most reviewers accept. See the methodology guide.