Jackson County, TN Roof Snow Load - 10 psf
Jackson County, TN: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Jackson County's roofs are built to hold 10 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. 7 psf is what the ground-load formula alone gives; Jackson County's 10 psf low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) beats it, so that figure is the one that governs on flat and low-pitch roofs.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 22 inches of fresh, light snow, 8 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 2 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. Standard residential construction handles a load this size without extra bracing; it is a modest addition on top of ordinary roof loading.
Jackson County in numbers
- Design roof snow load10 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map10 psf
- National rank#1,977 of 2,758
- Tennessee rank#85 of 95
- Population12,376
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal4.6 in.
- FIPS47087
Jackson County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,977 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 72%; within Tennessee alone, Jackson County ranks #85 of 95. That's 0.3 psf below Tennessee's own county-average design load of 10.3 psf.
Jackson County, FIPS 47087, is home to 12,376 people near 36.3543°N 85.6741°W. Its 10 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 10 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Jackson County's snowfall, most winters
4.6 in. a year: that's Jackson County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at GAINESBORO, TN US (1.3 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. Details: the calculation guide.