McKinley County, NM Roof Snow Load - 5 psf
McKinley County, NM: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
McKinley 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. Standard residential construction handles a load this size without extra bracing; it is a modest addition on top of ordinary roof loading.
McKinley County in numbers
- Design roof snow load5 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map5 psf
- National rank#2,162 of 2,758
- New Mexico rank#15 of 27
- Population68,945
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal42.1 in.
- FIPS35031
McKinley County by the numbers
Nationally that's #2,162 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 78%; within New Mexico alone, McKinley County ranks #15 of 27. 6.9 psf is New Mexico's typical county figure - McKinley County comes in 1.9 psf under it.
McKinley County, FIPS 35031, is home to 68,945 people near 35.5841°N 108.2533°W. Its 5 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 5 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
McKinley County's snowfall, most winters
42.1 in. a year: that's McKinley County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at MCGAFFEY 5 SE, NM US (20.2 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on McKinley County's number
Treat the McKinley 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.