Hockley County, TX Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Hockley County, TX: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Hockley 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.
Hockley County at a glance
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,457 of 2,758
- Texas rank#10 of 254
- Population21,505
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal7.1 in.
- FIPS48219
Hockley County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,457 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 53%; within Texas alone, Hockley County ranks #10 of 254. Texas counties average 5.4 psf; Hockley County runs 9.6 psf higher than that.
Hockley County, FIPS 48219, is home to 21,505 people near 33.6059°N 102.3434°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Hockley County's snowfall, most winters
7.1 in. a year: that's Hockley County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at SHALLOWATER, TX US (21.4 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Hockley County's number
Treat the Hockley 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.