Nobles County, MN Roof Snow Load - 28 psf

How much snow is too much for a roof in Nobles County, MN?

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. A meaningful design load. Most homes built to modern code handle it, but additions, carports, and flat-roofed sections are worth a second look.

Nobles County at a glance

• Design roof snow load28 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map40 psf
• National rank#248 of 2,758
• Minnesota rank#83 of 87
• Population21,969
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal45.2 in.
• FIPS27105

How Nobles County compares

28 psf ranks #248 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 9%) - and #83 of 87 in Minnesota. That's 9.4 psf below Minnesota's own county-average design load of 37.4 psf.

Population 21,969 (FIPS 27105), roughly 43.6777°N 95.7631°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 Nobles County, MN

NOAA's 30-year normal for Nobles County: 45.2 in. of snow a year, from the WORTHINGTON 2 NNE, MN US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Nobles 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.

Nobles 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.