Hamilton County, NE Roof Snow Load - 20 psf
Hamilton County, NE: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Hamilton County's roofs are built to hold 20 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. The physics-based figure alone would be 17.5 psf, but ASCE 7's own low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) sets a floor of 20 psf for flat and low-pitch roofs here, which is the number that actually governs.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 44 inches of fresh, light snow, 16 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 4 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.
Hamilton County at a glance
- Design roof snow load20 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map25 psf
- National rank#1,113 of 2,758
- Nebraska rank#39 of 93
- Population9,564
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal27.3 in.
- FIPS31081
Hamilton County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,113 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 40%; within Nebraska alone, Hamilton County ranks #39 of 93. 20.2 psf is Nebraska's typical county figure - Hamilton County comes in 0.2 psf under it.
Hamilton County, FIPS 31081, is home to 9,564 people near 40.8728°N 98.0223°W. Its 25 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 20 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Hamilton County's snowfall, most winters
27.3 in. a year: that's Hamilton County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at AURORA, NE US (1.7 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Hamilton County's number
Treat the Hamilton 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.