Macon County, AL Roof Snow Load - 5 psf
Macon County, AL: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Macon County's roofs are built to hold 5 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. §7.3.4's low-slope minimum of 5 psf is what actually governs on a flat or low-pitch roof here - higher than the 3.5 psf the base ground-load formula gives.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 11 inches of fresh, light snow, 4 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 1 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 modest addition to standard roof loading. Ordinary residential construction handles this without extra bracing.
Macon County, AL: quick facts
- Design roof snow load5 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map5 psf
- National rank#2,316 of 2,758
- Alabama rank#44 of 67
- Population18,159
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal0.3 in.
- FIPS01087
Macon County by the numbers
Nationally that's #2,316 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 84%; within Alabama alone, Macon County ranks #44 of 67. That's 0.6 psf below Alabama's own county-average design load of 5.6 psf.
Macon County, FIPS 01087, is home to 18,159 people near 32.387°N 85.6929°W. Its 5 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 5 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Macon County's snowfall, most winters
0.3 in. a year: that's Macon County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at MILSTEAD, AL US (12 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Macon County's number
Treat the Macon 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.