Humboldt County, IA Roof Snow Load - 24.5 psf
Humboldt County, IA: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Humboldt County's roofs are built to hold 24.5 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 53.9 inches of fresh, light snow, 19.6 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 4.9 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.
Humboldt County in numbers
- Design roof snow load24.5 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map35 psf
- National rank#360 of 2,758
- Iowa rank#24 of 99
- Population9,617
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal35.3 in.
- FIPS19091
Humboldt County by the numbers
Nationally that's #360 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 13%; within Iowa alone, Humboldt County ranks #24 of 99. Iowa counties average 21.7 psf; Humboldt County runs 2.8 psf higher than that.
Humboldt County, FIPS 19091, is home to 9,617 people near 42.7822°N 94.2028°W. Its 35 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 24.5 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Humboldt County's snowfall, most winters
35.3 in. a year: that's Humboldt County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at KANAWHA, IA US (23.2 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Humboldt County's number
Treat the Humboldt 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.