Broadwater County, MT Roof Snow Load - Case Study Area
Broadwater County, MT: no map figure, on purpose
Broadwater County sits in the mountain-west terrain where ASCE 7-22 §7.2 itself declines to give a contour figure - elevation changes too fast over short distances there for one number per county to mean anything. The code requires a site-specific study for a building here, not a look-up.
Broadwater County, FIPS 30007, is home to 8,302 people - one of 386 US counties ASCE 7 itself routes around a map figure for.
Broadwater County, MT: quick facts
- Population8,302
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal37.2 in.
- FIPS30007
Typical snowfall in Broadwater County, MT
NOAA's 30-year normal for Broadwater County: 37.2 in. of snow a year, from the HELENA RGNL AP, MT US station. Worth noting: the nearest station reporting snowfall normals sits 29.2 mi from Broadwater County's center, so treat this as a regional figure rather than an exact one. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)
What this Broadwater 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.
Broadwater 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. (How this figure is calculated.)