Jackson County, KS Roof Snow Load - 20 psf
Jackson County, KS: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Jackson County's roofs are built to hold 20 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. Flat and low-pitch roofs in Jackson County are actually governed by ASCE 7's §7.3.4 minimum of 20 psf, not the 14 psf the ground-load formula alone would produce.
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.
Jackson County, KS: quick facts
- Design roof snow load20 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map20 psf
- National rank#1,053 of 2,758
- Kansas rank#22 of 105
- Population13,525
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal12.3 in.
- FIPS20085
Jackson County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,053 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 38%; within Kansas alone, Jackson County ranks #22 of 105. 18.2 psf is Kansas's typical county figure - Jackson County beats it by 1.8 psf.
Jackson County, FIPS 20085, is home to 13,525 people near 39.4111°N 95.7945°W. Its 20 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 20 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Jackson County's snowfall, most winters
12.3 in. a year: that's Jackson County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at ROSSVILLE, KS US (20.9 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Jackson County's number
Treat the Jackson 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.