Dickinson County, IA Roof Snow Load - 28 psf

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

Picture it, not just weigh it: 61.6 in. if it's fresh powder, 22.4 in. once it settles, or a mere 5.6 in. if it's ice. A meaningful design load. Most homes built to modern code handle it, but additions, carports, and flat-roofed sections are worth a second look.

Dickinson County at a glance

• Design roof snow load28 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map40 psf
• National rank#255 of 2,758
• Iowa rank#1 of 99
• Population18,158
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal38 in.
• FIPS19059

How Dickinson County compares

28 psf ranks #255 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 9%) - and #1 of 99 in Iowa. Iowa counties average 21.7 psf; Dickinson County runs 6.3 psf higher than that.

Population 18,158 (FIPS 19059), roughly 43.3896°N 95.1961°W. The 40 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 28 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.

Typical snowfall in Dickinson County, IA

NOAA's 30-year normal for Dickinson County: 38 in. of snow a year, from the MILFORD 4 NW, IA US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Dickinson 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.

Dickinson 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.