SnowLoadCheck

Chatham County, NC Roof Snow Load - 15 psf

Chatham County, NC: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English

Moderate
15 psf

Chatham County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. §7.3.4's low-slope minimum of 15 psf is what actually governs on a flat or low-pitch roof here - higher than the 10.5 psf the base ground-load formula gives.

In depth, not weight: that's roughly 33 inches of fresh, light snow, 12 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 3 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.

Chatham County, NC: quick facts

Chatham County by the numbers

Nationally that's #1,348 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 49%; within North Carolina alone, Chatham County ranks #25 of 100. That's 2.1 psf above North Carolina's own county-average design load of 12.9 psf.

Chatham County, FIPS 37037, is home to 83,874 people near 35.705°N 79.2515°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.

Chatham County's snowfall, most winters

1.5 in. a year: that's Chatham County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at SILER CITY 2 N, NC US (12.4 mi away). See the density guide.

Before you rely on Chatham County's number

Treat the Chatham 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.