Pittsylvania County, VA Roof Snow Load - 20 psf
Pittsylvania County, VA: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Pittsylvania County's roofs are built to hold 20 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. The physics-based figure alone would be 14 psf, but ASCE 7's own low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) sets a floor of 20 psf for flat and low-pitch roofs here, which is the number that actually governs.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 44 inches of fresh, light snow, 16 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 4 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. A meaningful design load. Most homes built to modern code handle it, but additions, carports, and flat-roofed sections are worth a second look.
Pittsylvania County at a glance
- Design roof snow load20 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map20 psf
- National rank#708 of 2,758
- Virginia rank#26 of 110
- Population59,410
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal5.9 in.
- FIPS51143
Pittsylvania County by the numbers
Nationally that's #708 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 26%; within Virginia alone, Pittsylvania County ranks #26 of 110. That's 1.7 psf above Virginia's own county-average design load of 18.3 psf.
Pittsylvania County, FIPS 51143, is home to 59,410 people near 36.8217°N 79.3985°W. Its 20 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 20 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Pittsylvania County's snowfall, most winters
5.9 in. a year: that's Pittsylvania County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at HUDDLESTON 4 SW, VA US (22.1 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Pittsylvania County's number
Treat the Pittsylvania 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.