SnowLoadCheck

Cowley County, KS Roof Snow Load - 15 psf

Cowley County, KS: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English

Moderate
15 psf

Cowley 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. A meaningful design load. Most homes built to modern code handle it, but additions, carports, and flat-roofed sections are worth a second look.

Cowley County, KS: quick facts

Cowley County by the numbers

Nationally that's #1,415 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 51%; within Kansas alone, Cowley County ranks #76 of 105. 18.2 psf is Kansas's typical county figure - Cowley County comes in 3.2 psf under it.

Cowley County, FIPS 20035, is home to 34,186 people near 37.2345°N 96.8372°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.

Cowley County's snowfall, most winters

7.6 in. a year: that's Cowley County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at CAMBRIDGE, KS US (11.1 mi away). See the density guide.

Before you rely on Cowley County's number

Treat the Cowley 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.