Brown County, SD Roof Snow Load - 35 psf
Brown County, SD: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Brown County's roofs are built to hold 35 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 77 inches of fresh, light snow, 28 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 7 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 serious structural load - older homes built before modern snow-load provisions, or ones with low-slope or flat roof sections, are worth having checked.
Brown County at a glance
- Design roof snow load35 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map50 psf
- National rank#136 of 2,758
- South Dakota rank#1 of 65
- Population37,495
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal37.8 in.
- FIPS46013
Brown County by the numbers
Nationally that's #136 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 5%; within South Dakota alone, Brown County ranks #1 of 65. 28.2 psf is South Dakota's typical county figure - Brown County beats it by 6.8 psf.
Brown County, FIPS 46013, is home to 37,495 people near 45.5893°N 98.3522°W. Its 50 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 35 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Brown County's snowfall, most winters
37.8 in. a year: that's Brown County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at COLUMBIA 8 N, SD US (9.5 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Brown County's number
Treat the Brown 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.