Potter County, SD Roof Snow Load - 35 psf
Potter County, SD: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Potter County's roofs are built to hold 35 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 77 inches of fresh, light snow, 28 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 7 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 load this size is a serious structural matter; pre-modern-code homes and low-slope or flat-roofed sections are the ones most worth an inspection.
Snow on Potter County's roofs right now?
Potter County at a glance
- Design roof snow load35 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map50 psf
- National rank#213 of 2,758
- South Dakota rank#17 of 65
- Population2,402
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal38.7 in.
- FIPS46107
Potter County by the numbers
Nationally that's #213 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 8%; within South Dakota alone, Potter County ranks #17 of 65. That's 6.8 psf above South Dakota's own county-average design load of 28.2 psf.
Potter County, FIPS 46107, is home to 2,402 people near 45.0527°N 99.962°W. Its 50 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 35 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Potter County's snowfall, most winters
38.7 in. a year: that's Potter County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at GETTYSBURG, SD US (2.5 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Potter County's number
Treat the Potter 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.