Nelson County, VA Roof Snow Load - 21 psf
What ASCE 7 says about snow load in Nelson County
That's Nelson County's design roof snow load per ASCE 7-22, for a typical heated single-family home - the number a permit reviewer starts from.
Converted to something you can actually eyeball on a roof: about 46.2 in. of fresh powder, 16.8 in. once it settles and packs down, or just 4.2 in. if it's turned to 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.
Nelson County, VA: quick facts
- Design roof snow load21 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map30 psf
- National rank#464 of 2,758
- Virginia rank#9 of 110
- Population14,766
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal15.7 in.
- FIPS51125
Where Nelson County's figure sits nationally
Out of 2,758 rated US counties, Nelson County sits at #464, the top 17% nationally - #9 of 110 within Virginia. Virginia counties average 18.3 psf; Nelson County runs 2.7 psf higher than that.
Near 37.7891°N 78.8834°W, FIPS 51125: Nelson County counts 14,766 residents and a 30 psf map value, which the code's own factors turn into 21 psf.
How much it actually snows in Nelson County
Most winters bring Nelson County roughly 15.7 in. of snow - NOAA's normal at PEDLAR DAM, VA US, 23.1 mi off. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)
Read this before you rely on it
Nelson County's number above is ASCE 7-22's default case, not a custom calculation: ordinary residential occupancy, heated, sited on ground that's neither fully sheltered nor fully exposed. Any one of those changing - pitch, exposure, heating, occupancy - moves the real figure.
Nothing here substitutes for an address-level number. Get one free, in about a minute, from the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool using your own coordinates rather than Nelson County's county-wide figure. See the methodology guide.