Palo Alto County, IA Roof Snow Load - 24.5 psf

Palo Alto County, IA: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English

In depth, not weight: that's roughly 53.9 inches of fresh, light snow, 19.6 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 4.9 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.

Palo Alto County at a glance

• Design roof snow load24.5 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map35 psf
• National rank#362 of 2,758
• Iowa rank#25 of 99
• Population8,809
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal37.1 in.
• FIPS19147

Palo Alto County by the numbers

Nationally that's #362 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 13%; within Iowa alone, Palo Alto County ranks #25 of 99. That's 2.8 psf above Iowa's own county-average design load of 21.7 psf.

Palo Alto County, FIPS 19147, is home to 8,809 people near 43.0753°N 94.6691°W. Its 35 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 24.5 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.

Palo Alto County's snowfall, most winters

37.1 in. a year: that's Palo Alto County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at EMMETSBURG, IA US (2 mi away). See the density guide.

Before you rely on Palo Alto County's number

Treat the Palo Alto 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. Details: the calculation guide.