SnowLoadCheck

Bennett County, SD Roof Snow Load - 20 psf

Bennett County, SD: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English

Moderate
20 psf

Bennett County's roofs are built to hold 20 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. 17.5 psf is what the ground-load formula alone gives; Bennett County's 20 psf low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) beats it, so that figure is the one that governs on flat and low-pitch roofs.

In depth, not weight: that's roughly 44 inches of fresh, light snow, 16 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 4 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.

Bennett County, SD: quick facts

Bennett County by the numbers

Nationally that's #1,247 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 45%; within South Dakota alone, Bennett County ranks #63 of 65. That's 8.2 psf below South Dakota's own county-average design load of 28.2 psf.

Bennett County, FIPS 46007, is home to 3,289 people near 43.1869°N 101.6772°W. Its 25 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 20 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.

Bennett County's snowfall, most winters

48.4 in. a year: that's Bennett County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at MARTIN, SD US (3.1 mi away). See the density guide.

Before you rely on Bennett County's number

Treat the Bennett 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.