Randolph County, AL Roof Snow Load - 5 psf
Randolph County, AL: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Randolph County's roofs are built to hold 5 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. §7.3.4's low-slope minimum of 5 psf is what actually governs on a flat or low-pitch roof here - higher than the 3.5 psf the base ground-load formula gives.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 11 inches of fresh, light snow, 4 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 1 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. Standard residential construction handles a load this size without extra bracing; it is a modest addition on top of ordinary roof loading.
Randolph County in numbers
- Design roof snow load5 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map5 psf
- National rank#2,268 of 2,758
- Alabama rank#37 of 67
- Population23,067
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal1.6 in.
- FIPS01111
Randolph County by the numbers
Nationally that's #2,268 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 82%; within Alabama alone, Randolph County ranks #37 of 67. That's 0.6 psf below Alabama's own county-average design load of 5.6 psf.
Randolph County, FIPS 01111, is home to 23,067 people near 33.2965°N 85.4641°W. Its 5 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 5 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Randolph County's snowfall, most winters
1.6 in. a year: that's Randolph County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at ASHLAND 3 ENE, AL US (18.2 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Randolph County's number
Treat the Randolph 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. (How this figure is calculated.)