Marion County, AR Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Marion County, AR: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Marion County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. The physics-based figure alone would be 10.5 psf, but ASCE 7's own low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) sets a floor of 15 psf for flat and low-pitch roofs here, which is the number that actually governs.
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.
Marion County, AR: quick facts
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,490 of 2,758
- Arkansas rank#5 of 75
- Population17,593
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal7.8 in.
- FIPS05089
Marion County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,490 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 54%; within Arkansas alone, Marion County ranks #5 of 75. That's 4.9 psf above Arkansas's own county-average design load of 10.1 psf.
Marion County, FIPS 05089, is home to 17,593 people near 36.2667°N 92.6786°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Marion County's snowfall, most winters
7.8 in. a year: that's Marion County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at MTN HOME 1 NNW, AR US (16.8 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Marion County's number
Treat the Marion 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.