SnowLoadCheck

Morton County, KS Roof Snow Load - 15 psf

Morton County, KS: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English

Moderate
15 psf

Morton County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. §7.3.4's low-slope minimum of 15 psf is what actually governs on a flat or low-pitch roof here - higher than the 10.5 psf the base ground-load formula gives.

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. 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.

Morton County at a glance

Morton County by the numbers

Nationally that's #1,636 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 59%; within Kansas alone, Morton County ranks #98 of 105. Kansas counties average 18.2 psf; Morton County runs 3.2 psf lower than that.

Morton County, FIPS 20129, is home to 2,485 people near 37.1852°N 101.8095°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.

Morton County's snowfall, most winters

18.4 in. a year: that's Morton County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at RICHFIELD, KS US (5.5 mi away). See the density guide.

Before you rely on Morton County's number

Treat the Morton 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. (How this figure is calculated.)