Harding County, SD Roof Snow Load - 24.5 psf

How much snow is too much for a roof in Harding County, SD?

Picture it, not just weigh it: 53.9 in. if it's fresh powder, 19.6 in. once it settles, or a mere 4.9 in. if it's ice. 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.

Harding County, SD: quick facts

• Design roof snow load24.5 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map35 psf
• National rank#376 of 2,758
• South Dakota rank#52 of 65
• Population1,325
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal51.2 in.
• FIPS46063

How Harding County compares

24.5 psf ranks #376 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 14%) - and #52 of 65 in South Dakota. 28.2 psf is South Dakota's typical county figure - Harding County comes in 3.7 psf under it.

Population 1,325 (FIPS 46063), roughly 45.5966°N 103.4739°W. The 35 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 24.5 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.

Typical snowfall in Harding County, SD

NOAA's 30-year normal for Harding County: 51.2 in. of snow a year, from the REDIG 11 NE, SD US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Harding 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.

Harding 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.