Monroe County, MI Roof Snow Load - 20 psf
How much snow is too much for a roof in Monroe County, MI?
20 psf: that's what ASCE 7-22 requires a typical heated home's roof in Monroe County to carry. Flat and low-pitch roofs in Monroe County are actually governed by ASCE 7's §7.3.4 minimum of 20 psf, not the 14 psf the ground-load formula alone would produce.
Picture it, not just weigh it: 44 in. if it's fresh powder, 16 in. once it settles, or a mere 4 in. if it's ice. A meaningful design load. Most homes built to modern code handle it, but additions, carports, and flat-roofed sections are worth a second look.
Monroe County, MI: quick facts
- Design roof snow load20 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map20 psf
- National rank#616 of 2,758
- Michigan rank#64 of 70
- Population156,045
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal41.2 in.
- FIPS26115
How Monroe County compares
20 psf ranks #616 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 22%) - and #64 of 70 in Michigan. 31.7 psf is Michigan's typical county figure - Monroe County comes in 11.7 psf under it.
Population 156,045 (FIPS 26115), roughly 41.9161°N 83.4871°W. The 20 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 20 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.
Typical snowfall in Monroe County, MI
NOAA's 30-year normal for Monroe County: 41.2 in. of snow a year, from the NEWPORT 4SSE, MI US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)
What this Monroe 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.
Monroe 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.