Labette County, KS Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Labette County, KS: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Labette County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. §7.3.4's low-slope minimum of 15 psf is what actually governs on a flat or low-pitch roof here - higher than the 10.5 psf the base ground-load formula gives.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 33 inches of fresh, light snow, 12 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 3 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.
Labette County in numbers
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,473 of 2,758
- Kansas rank#81 of 105
- Population19,692
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal8.7 in.
- FIPS20099
Labette County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,473 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 53%; within Kansas alone, Labette County ranks #81 of 105. 18.2 psf is Kansas's typical county figure - Labette County comes in 3.2 psf under it.
Labette County, FIPS 20099, is home to 19,692 people near 37.1915°N 95.2975°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Labette County's snowfall, most winters
8.7 in. a year: that's Labette County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at ALTAMONT, KS US (0.6 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Labette County's number
Treat the Labette 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.