Calhoun County, IL Roof Snow Load - 20 psf
Calhoun County, IL: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Calhoun County's roofs are built to hold 20 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. §7.3.4's low-slope minimum of 20 psf is what actually governs on a flat or low-pitch roof here - higher than the 14 psf the base ground-load formula gives.
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.
Calhoun County at a glance
- Design roof snow load20 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map20 psf
- National rank#1,234 of 2,758
- Illinois rank#88 of 102
- Population4,224
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal12.5 in.
- FIPS17013
Calhoun County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,234 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 45%; within Illinois alone, Calhoun County ranks #88 of 102. That's 0.7 psf above Illinois's own county-average design load of 19.3 psf.
Calhoun County, FIPS 17013, is home to 4,224 people near 39.1643°N 90.6663°W. Its 20 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 20 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Calhoun County's snowfall, most winters
12.5 in. a year: that's Calhoun County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at JERSEYVILLE 2 SW, IL US (17.8 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Calhoun County's number
Treat the Calhoun 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. (How this figure is calculated.)