Lake County, MI Roof Snow Load - 42 psf
Lake County, MI: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Lake County's roofs are built to hold 42 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 92.4 inches of fresh, light snow, 33.6 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 8.4 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. A load this size is a serious structural matter; pre-modern-code homes and low-slope or flat-roofed sections are the ones most worth an inspection.
Lake County at a glance
- Design roof snow load42 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map60 psf
- National rank#69 of 2,758
- Michigan rank#20 of 70
- Population13,005
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal119.6 in.
- FIPS26085
Lake County by the numbers
Nationally that's #69 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 3%; within Michigan alone, Lake County ranks #20 of 70. Michigan counties average 31.7 psf; Lake County runs 10.3 psf higher than that.
Lake County, FIPS 26085, is home to 13,005 people near 43.9952°N 85.8114°W. Its 60 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 42 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Lake County's snowfall, most winters
119.6 in. a year: that's Lake County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at WELLSTON 1N, MI US (17.7 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Lake County's number
Treat the Lake 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.