Newport News city, VA Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Newport News city, VA: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Newport News city's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. The physics-based figure alone would be 10.5 psf, but ASCE 7's own low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) sets a floor of 15 psf for flat and low-pitch roofs here, which is the number that actually governs.
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. Modern-code homes carry a load like this without issue; an older addition, a carport, or any flat-roofed section is where it is worth checking first.
Newport News city in numbers
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,325 of 2,758
- Virginia rank#81 of 110
- Population183,056
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal6.2 in.
- FIPS51700
Newport News city by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,325 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 48%; within Virginia alone, Newport News city ranks #81 of 110. 18.3 psf is Virginia's typical county figure - Newport News city comes in 3.3 psf under it.
Newport News city, FIPS 51700, is home to 183,056 people near 37.0761°N 76.522°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Newport News city's snowfall, most winters
6.2 in. a year: that's Newport News city's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at NORFOLK INTL AP, VA US (21.8 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Newport News city's number
Treat the Newport News city 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. See the methodology guide.