Pierce County, ND Roof Snow Load - 28 psf

How much snow is too much for a roof in Pierce County, ND?

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.

Pierce County, ND: quick facts

• Design roof snow load28 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map40 psf
• National rank#284 of 2,758
• North Dakota rank#24 of 49
• Population3,853
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal43.4 in.
• FIPS38069

How Pierce County compares

28 psf ranks #284 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 10%) - and #24 of 49 in North Dakota. That's 1.4 psf below North Dakota's own county-average design load of 29.4 psf.

Population 3,853 (FIPS 38069), roughly 48.2389°N 99.9665°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 Pierce County, ND

NOAA's 30-year normal for Pierce County: 43.4 in. of snow a year, from the RUGBY, ND US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Pierce 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.

Pierce 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. See the methodology guide.