Montgomery County, NY Roof Snow Load - 28 psf

How much snow is too much for a roof in Montgomery County, NY?

Picture it, not just weigh it: 61.6 in. if it's fresh powder, 22.4 in. once it settles, or a mere 5.6 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.

Montgomery County at a glance

• Design roof snow load28 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map40 psf
• National rank#237 of 2,758
• New York rank#11 of 28
• Population49,648
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal85.5 in.
• FIPS36057

How Montgomery County compares

28 psf ranks #237 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 9%) - and #11 of 28 in New York. New York counties average 25.4 psf; Montgomery County runs 2.6 psf higher than that.

Population 49,648 (FIPS 36057), roughly 42.9009°N 74.4354°W. The 40 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 28 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.

Typical snowfall in Montgomery County, NY

NOAA's 30-year normal for Montgomery County: 85.5 in. of snow a year, from the COOPERSTOWN, NY US station. 28 mi is a real gap between Montgomery County and its nearest reporting station, so local snowfall can diverge from this figure, especially near elevation changes. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Montgomery 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.

Montgomery 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. Details: the calculation guide.