Christian County, KY Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Christian County, KY: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Christian County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. ASCE 7's low-slope-roof minimum (§7.3.4) raises the governing figure to 15 psf - higher than the 10.5 psf the ground-load formula alone would give, and the code says use the larger one.
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. Modern-code homes carry a load like this without issue; an older addition, a carport, or any flat-roofed section is where it is worth checking first.
Christian County, KY: quick facts
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,356 of 2,758
- Kentucky rank#24 of 120
- Population71,006
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal5.2 in.
- FIPS21047
Christian County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,356 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 49%; within Kentucky alone, Christian County ranks #24 of 120. 15.7 psf is Kentucky's typical county figure - Christian County comes in 0.7 psf under it.
Christian County, FIPS 21047, is home to 71,006 people near 36.8921°N 87.493°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Christian County's snowfall, most winters
5.2 in. a year: that's Christian County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at HOPKINSVILLE, KY US (3.3 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Christian County's number
Treat the Christian 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.