Lyon County, MN Roof Snow Load - 35 psf
Lyon County, MN: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Lyon County's roofs are built to hold 35 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 77 inches of fresh, light snow, 28 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 7 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 serious structural load. Homes built before modern snow-load provisions, or with low-slope/flat roof sections, are the ones most worth having checked.
Lyon County, MN: quick facts
- Design roof snow load35 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map50 psf
- National rank#151 of 2,758
- Minnesota rank#58 of 87
- Population25,577
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal43.5 in.
- FIPS27083
Lyon County by the numbers
Nationally that's #151 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 5%; within Minnesota alone, Lyon County ranks #58 of 87. Minnesota counties average 37.4 psf; Lyon County runs 2.4 psf lower than that.
Lyon County, FIPS 27083, is home to 25,577 people near 44.4092°N 95.8473°W. Its 50 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 35 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Lyon County's snowfall, most winters
43.5 in. a year: that's Lyon County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at MARSHALL, MN US (5.2 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Lyon County's number
Treat the Lyon 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.