Calhoun County, WV Roof Snow Load - 20 psf
Calhoun County, WV: 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. Flat and low-pitch roofs in Calhoun County are actually governed by ASCE 7's §7.3.4 minimum of 20 psf, not the 17.5 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. 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, WV: quick facts
- Design roof snow load20 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map25 psf
- National rank#1,196 of 2,758
- West Virginia rank#33 of 34
- Population5,873
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal24.2 in.
- FIPS54013
Calhoun County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,196 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 43%; within West Virginia alone, Calhoun County ranks #33 of 34. Calhoun County's figure lands almost exactly on West Virginia's own county-average of 20 psf.
Calhoun County, FIPS 54013, is home to 5,873 people near 38.8442°N 81.1155°W. Its 25 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
24.2 in. a year: that's Calhoun County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at SPENCER, WV US (13.4 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. Details: the calculation guide.