Clayton County, IA Roof Snow Load - 21 psf

How much snow is too much for a roof in Clayton County, IA?

Picture it, not just weigh it: 46.2 in. if it's fresh powder, 16.8 in. once it settles, or a mere 4.2 in. if it's ice. 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.

Clayton County at a glance

• Design roof snow load21 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map30 psf
• National rank#460 of 2,758
• Iowa rank#35 of 99
• Population16,931
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal35.6 in.
• FIPS19043

How Clayton County compares

21 psf ranks #460 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 17%) - and #35 of 99 in Iowa. Iowa counties average 21.7 psf; Clayton County runs 0.7 psf lower than that.

Population 16,931 (FIPS 19043), roughly 42.841°N 91.3236°W. The 30 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 21 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.

Typical snowfall in Clayton County, IA

NOAA's 30-year normal for Clayton County: 35.6 in. of snow a year, from the ELKADER 6 SSW, IA US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Clayton County figure assumes

This is a county-level reference figure for a typical heated home built to Risk Category II (ordinary residential), on a partially exposed lot - the assumptions ASCE 7-22 itself treats as the default case. A steeper roof, a fully exposed hilltop lot, an unheated structure, or a higher risk category all change the actual number.

Clayton County's permit office wants an address-specific figure, not this county average - the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool is free, takes under a minute, and outputs a PDF most reviewers accept. Details: the calculation guide.