SnowLoadCheck

Dickenson County, VA Roof Snow Load - 15 psf

Dickenson County, VA: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English

Moderate
15 psf

Dickenson County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. 10.5 psf is what the ground-load formula alone gives; Dickenson County's 15 psf low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) beats it, so that figure is the one that governs on flat and low-pitch roofs.

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.

Dickenson County in numbers

Dickenson County by the numbers

Nationally that's #1,514 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 55%; within Virginia alone, Dickenson County ranks #94 of 110. Virginia counties average 18.3 psf; Dickenson County runs 3.3 psf lower than that.

Dickenson County, FIPS 51051, is home to 13,411 people near 37.1367°N 82.3492°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.

Dickenson County's snowfall, most winters

38.4 in. a year: that's Dickenson County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at CLINTWOOD 1W, VA US (7.8 mi away). See the density guide.

Before you rely on Dickenson County's number

Treat the Dickenson 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. See the methodology guide.