Bowman County, ND Roof Snow Load - 24.5 psf

How much snow is too much for a roof in Bowman County, ND?

Picture it, not just weigh it: 53.9 in. if it's fresh powder, 19.6 in. once it settles, or a mere 4.9 in. if it's ice. 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.

Bowman County, ND: quick facts

• Design roof snow load24.5 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map35 psf
• National rank#370 of 2,758
• North Dakota rank#38 of 49
• Population2,886
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal48.2 in.
• FIPS38011

How Bowman County compares

24.5 psf ranks #370 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 13%) - and #38 of 49 in North Dakota. That's 4.9 psf below North Dakota's own county-average design load of 29.4 psf.

Population 2,886 (FIPS 38011), roughly 46.1101°N 103.5059°W. The 35 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 24.5 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.

Typical snowfall in Bowman County, ND

NOAA's 30-year normal for Bowman County: 48.2 in. of snow a year, from the BOWMAN, ND US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Bowman 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.

Bowman 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.