Hopewell city, VA Roof Snow Load - 20 psf
What ASCE 7 says about snow load in Hopewell city
That's Hopewell city's design roof snow load per ASCE 7-22, for a typical heated single-family home - the number a permit reviewer starts from. §7.3.4's low-slope minimum of 20 psf is what actually governs on a flat or low-pitch roof here - higher than the 14 psf the base ground-load formula gives.
Converted to something you can actually eyeball on a roof: about 44 in. of fresh powder, 16 in. once it settles and packs down, or just 4 in. if it's turned to ice. A meaningful design load. Most homes built to modern code handle it, but additions, carports, and flat-roofed sections are worth a second look.
Hopewell city, VA: quick facts
- Design roof snow load20 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map20 psf
- National rank#926 of 2,758
- Virginia rank#51 of 110
- Population22,970
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal6.4 in.
- FIPS51670
Where Hopewell city's figure sits nationally
Out of 2,758 rated US counties, Hopewell city sits at #926, the top 34% nationally - #51 of 110 within Virginia. Virginia counties average 18.3 psf; Hopewell city runs 1.7 psf higher than that.
Near 37.291°N 77.2989°W, FIPS 51670: Hopewell city counts 22,970 residents and a 20 psf map value, which the code's own factors turn into 20 psf.
How much it actually snows in Hopewell city
Most winters bring Hopewell city roughly 6.4 in. of snow - NOAA's normal at WAKEFIELD 1NW, VA US, 26.6 mi off. 26.6 mi is a real gap between Hopewell city and its nearest reporting station, so local snowfall can diverge from this figure, especially near elevation changes. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)
Read this before you rely on it
Hopewell city's number above is ASCE 7-22's default case, not a custom calculation: ordinary residential occupancy, heated, sited on ground that's neither fully sheltered nor fully exposed. Any one of those changing - pitch, exposure, heating, occupancy - moves the real figure.
Nothing here substitutes for an address-level number. Get one free, in about a minute, from the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool using your own coordinates rather than Hopewell city's county-wide figure. Details: the calculation guide.