Jefferson County, CO Roof Snow Load - Case Study Area
Why doesn't Jefferson County have a snow load number?
Jefferson County sits in the mountain-west terrain where ASCE 7-22 §7.2 itself declines to give a contour figure - elevation changes too fast over short distances there for one number per county to mean anything. The code requires a site-specific study for a building here, not a look-up.
Jefferson County, FIPS 08059, is home to 578,533 people - one of 386 US counties ASCE 7 itself routes around a map figure for.
Jefferson County in numbers
- Population578,533
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal129.7 in.
- FIPS08059
Typical snowfall in Jefferson County, CO
NOAA's 30-year normal for Jefferson County: 129.7 in. of snow a year, from the INTER CANYON, CO US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)
What this Jefferson County figure assumes
This is a county-level reference figure for a typical heated home built to Risk Category II (ordinary residential), on a partially exposed lot - the assumptions ASCE 7-22 itself treats as the default case. A steeper roof, a fully exposed hilltop lot, an unheated structure, or a higher risk category all change the actual number.
Jefferson County's permit office wants an address-specific figure, not this county average - the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool is free, takes under a minute, and outputs a PDF most reviewers accept. See the methodology guide.