Cass County, MN Roof Snow Load - 42 psf
Cass County, MN: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Cass County's roofs are built to hold 42 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 92.4 inches of fresh, light snow, 33.6 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 8.4 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 load this size is a serious structural matter; pre-modern-code homes and low-slope or flat-roofed sections are the ones most worth an inspection.
Cass County, MN: quick facts
- Design roof snow load42 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map60 psf
- National rank#43 of 2,758
- Minnesota rank#12 of 87
- Population31,442
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal48.2 in.
- FIPS27021
Cass County by the numbers
Nationally that's #43 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 2%; within Minnesota alone, Cass County ranks #12 of 87. Minnesota counties average 37.4 psf; Cass County runs 4.6 psf higher than that.
Cass County, FIPS 27021, is home to 31,442 people near 46.9517°N 94.3337°W. Its 60 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 42 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Cass County's snowfall, most winters
48.2 in. a year: that's Cass County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at LEECH LAKE, MN US (21 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Cass County's number
Treat the Cass 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.