Glacier County, MT Roof Snow Load - Case Study Area
Why doesn't Glacier County have a snow load number?
Glacier County sits in the mountain-west terrain where ASCE 7-22 §7.2 itself declines to give a contour figure - elevation changes too fast over short distances there for one number per county to mean anything. The code requires a site-specific study for a building here, not a look-up.
Glacier County, FIPS 30035, is home to 13,503 people - one of 386 US counties ASCE 7 itself routes around a map figure for.
Glacier County, MT: quick facts
- Population13,503
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal50.6 in.
- FIPS30035
Typical snowfall in Glacier County, MT
NOAA's 30-year normal for Glacier County: 50.6 in. of snow a year, from the CRESTON, MT US station. That station is far enough away (63.4 mi) that local snowfall - especially at a different elevation or near a lake - can run noticeably higher or lower than this figure. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)
What this Glacier 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.
Glacier 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. See the methodology guide.