Kennebec County, ME Roof Snow Load - 56 psf
Kennebec County, ME: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Kennebec County's roofs are built to hold 56 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 123.2 inches of fresh, light snow, 44.8 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 11.2 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. Few counties map a higher design load outside case-study terrain; regular roof snow removal and structural inspection are standard practice at this level.
Kennebec County, ME: quick facts
- Design roof snow load56 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map80 psf
- National rank#5 of 2,758
- Maine rank#3 of 12
- Population128,461
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal85.5 in.
- FIPS23011
Kennebec County by the numbers
Nationally that's #5 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 1%; within Maine alone, Kennebec County ranks #3 of 12. Maine counties average 47.8 psf; Kennebec County runs 8.2 psf higher than that.
Kennebec County, FIPS 23011, is home to 128,461 people near 44.417°N 69.7658°W. Its 80 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 56 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Kennebec County's snowfall, most winters
85.5 in. a year: that's Kennebec County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at ALBION, ME US (17.8 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Kennebec County's number
Treat the Kennebec 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.