Gray County, KS Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Gray County, KS: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Gray County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. Flat and low-pitch roofs in Gray County are actually governed by ASCE 7's §7.3.4 minimum of 15 psf, not the 10.5 psf the ground-load formula alone would produce.
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.
Gray County in numbers
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,599 of 2,758
- Kansas rank#88 of 105
- Population5,730
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal17.3 in.
- FIPS20069
Gray County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,599 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 58%; within Kansas alone, Gray County ranks #88 of 105. Kansas counties average 18.2 psf; Gray County runs 3.2 psf lower than that.
Gray County, FIPS 20069, is home to 5,730 people near 37.7445°N 100.4517°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Gray County's snowfall, most winters
17.3 in. a year: that's Gray County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at CIMARRON, KS US (7.5 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Gray County's number
Treat the Gray 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.