Broomfield County, CO Roof Snow Load - 20 psf
Broomfield County, CO: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Broomfield County's roofs are built to hold 20 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. Flat and low-pitch roofs in Broomfield County are actually governed by ASCE 7's §7.3.4 minimum of 20 psf, not the 14 psf the ground-load formula alone would produce.
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. This is a meaningful design load - most modern-code homes handle it fine, though an addition, a carport or a flat-roofed section can be a weak spot.
Already snow on the roof in Broomfield County?
Broomfield County, CO: quick facts
- Design roof snow load20 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map20 psf
- National rank#680 of 2,758
- Colorado rank#7 of 24
- Population78,323
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal73.9 in.
- FIPS08014
Broomfield County by the numbers
Nationally that's #680 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 25%; within Colorado alone, Broomfield County ranks #7 of 24. That's 2.3 psf above Colorado's own county-average design load of 17.7 psf.
Broomfield County, FIPS 08014, is home to 78,323 people near 39.9539°N 105.0509°W. Its 20 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 20 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Broomfield County's snowfall, most winters
73.9 in. a year: that's Broomfield County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at BROOMFIELD 1.1 NE, CO US (2 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Broomfield County's number
Treat the Broomfield 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. See the methodology guide.