Northampton County, NC Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Northampton County, NC: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Northampton County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. 10.5 psf is what the ground-load formula alone gives; Northampton County's 15 psf low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) beats it, so that figure is the one that governs on flat and low-pitch roofs.
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.
Northampton County in numbers
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,494 of 2,758
- North Carolina rank#49 of 100
- Population16,580
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal5 in.
- FIPS37131
Northampton County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,494 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 54%; within North Carolina alone, Northampton County ranks #49 of 100. 12.9 psf is North Carolina's typical county figure - Northampton County beats it by 2.1 psf.
Northampton County, FIPS 37131, is home to 16,580 people near 36.4218°N 77.3984°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Northampton County's snowfall, most winters
5 in. a year: that's Northampton County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at JACKSON, NC US (2.3 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Northampton County's number
Treat the Northampton 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. See the methodology guide.