SnowLoadCheck

Bell County, KY Roof Snow Load - 15 psf

Bell County, KY: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English

Moderate
15 psf

Bell County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. The physics-based figure alone would be 10.5 psf, but ASCE 7's own low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) sets a floor of 15 psf for flat and low-pitch roofs here, which is the number that actually governs.

In depth, not weight: that's roughly 33 inches of fresh, light snow, 12 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 3 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. A meaningful design load. Most homes built to modern code handle it, but additions, carports, and flat-roofed sections are worth a second look.

Bell County at a glance

Bell County by the numbers

Nationally that's #1,447 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 52%; within Kentucky alone, Bell County ranks #58 of 120. That's 0.7 psf below Kentucky's own county-average design load of 15.7 psf.

Bell County, FIPS 21013, is home to 23,051 people near 36.7289°N 83.6807°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.

Bell County's snowfall, most winters

7.9 in. a year: that's Bell County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at TAZEWELL, TN US (19.4 mi away). See the density guide.

Before you rely on Bell County's number

Treat the Bell 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. Details: the calculation guide.