Jay County, IN Roof Snow Load - 20 psf
Jay County, IN: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Jay County's roofs are built to hold 20 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. The physics-based figure alone would be 14 psf, but ASCE 7's own low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) sets a floor of 20 psf for flat and low-pitch roofs here, which is the number that actually governs.
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. Modern-code homes carry a load like this without issue; an older addition, a carport, or any flat-roofed section is where it is worth checking first.
Jay County, IN: quick facts
- Design roof snow load20 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map20 psf
- National rank#958 of 2,758
- Indiana rank#60 of 89
- Population20,164
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal19.4 in.
- FIPS18075
Jay County by the numbers
Nationally that's #958 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 35%; within Indiana alone, Jay County ranks #60 of 89. 19.3 psf is Indiana's typical county figure - Jay County beats it by 0.7 psf.
Jay County, FIPS 18075, is home to 20,164 people near 40.435°N 85.0023°W. Its 20 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 20 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Jay County's snowfall, most winters
19.4 in. a year: that's Jay County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at PORTLAND 1 SW, IN US (1.3 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Jay County's number
Treat the Jay 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.