Gibson County, IN Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Gibson County, IN: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Gibson County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. The physics-based figure alone would be 10.5 psf, but ASCE 7's own low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) sets a floor of 15 psf for flat and low-pitch roofs here, which is the number that actually governs.
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.
Gibson County in numbers
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,419 of 2,758
- Indiana rank#83 of 89
- Population33,038
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal13.9 in.
- FIPS18051
Gibson County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,419 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 51%; within Indiana alone, Gibson County ranks #83 of 89. That's 4.3 psf below Indiana's own county-average design load of 19.3 psf.
Gibson County, FIPS 18051, is home to 33,038 people near 38.3174°N 87.5805°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Gibson County's snowfall, most winters
13.9 in. a year: that's Gibson County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at MCCUTCHANVILLE 4N, IN US (14.5 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Gibson County's number
Treat the Gibson 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.