Madison County, KY Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Madison County, KY: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Madison County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. 10.5 psf is what the ground-load formula alone gives; Madison County's 15 psf low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) beats it, so that figure is the one that governs on flat and low-pitch roofs.
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.
Madison County at a glance
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,341 of 2,758
- Kentucky rank#22 of 120
- Population99,582
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal1.3 in.
- FIPS21151
Madison County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,341 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 49%; within Kentucky alone, Madison County ranks #22 of 120. That's 0.7 psf below Kentucky's own county-average design load of 15.7 psf.
Madison County, FIPS 21151, is home to 99,582 people near 37.7255°N 84.2784°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Madison County's snowfall, most winters
1.3 in. a year: that's Madison County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at RICHMOND STATE POLICE, KY US (1.3 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Madison County's number
Treat the Madison 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. (How this figure is calculated.)