Major County, OK Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Major County, OK: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Major County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. ASCE 7's low-slope-roof minimum (§7.3.4) raises the governing figure to 15 psf - higher than the 10.5 psf the ground-load formula alone would give, and the code says use the larger one.
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. A meaningful design load. Most homes built to modern code handle it, but additions, carports, and flat-roofed sections are worth a second look.
Major County, OK: quick facts
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,580 of 2,758
- Oklahoma rank#13 of 77
- Population7,569
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal9.1 in.
- FIPS40093
Major County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,580 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 57%; within Oklahoma alone, Major County ranks #13 of 77. Oklahoma counties average 11 psf; Major County runs 4 psf higher than that.
Major County, FIPS 40093, is home to 7,569 people near 36.3131°N 98.542°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Major County's snowfall, most winters
9.1 in. a year: that's Major County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at ORIENTA 1SSW, OK US (4.2 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Major County's number
Treat the Major 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. Details: the calculation guide.