McLean County, ND Roof Snow Load - 24.5 psf

How much snow is too much for a roof in McLean County, ND?

Picture it, not just weigh it: 53.9 in. if it's fresh powder, 19.6 in. once it settles, or a mere 4.9 in. if it's ice. This is a meaningful design load - most modern-code homes handle it fine, though an addition, a carport or a flat-roofed section can be a weak spot.

McLean County in numbers

• Design roof snow load24.5 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map35 psf
• National rank#359 of 2,758
• North Dakota rank#35 of 49
• Population9,845
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal42.7 in.
• FIPS38055

How McLean County compares

24.5 psf ranks #359 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 13%) - and #35 of 49 in North Dakota. North Dakota counties average 29.4 psf; McLean County runs 4.9 psf lower than that.

Population 9,845 (FIPS 38055), roughly 47.6532°N 101.4219°W. The 35 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 24.5 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.

Typical snowfall in McLean County, ND

NOAA's 30-year normal for McLean County: 42.7 in. of snow a year, from the GARRISON, ND US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this McLean County figure assumes

This is a county-level reference figure for a typical heated home built to Risk Category II (ordinary residential), on a partially exposed lot - the assumptions ASCE 7-22 itself treats as the default case. A steeper roof, a fully exposed hilltop lot, an unheated structure, or a higher risk category all change the actual number.

McLean County's permit office wants an address-specific figure, not this county average - the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool is free, takes under a minute, and outputs a PDF most reviewers accept. See the methodology guide.