Ritchie County, WV Roof Snow Load - 20 psf
Ritchie County, WV: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Ritchie County's roofs are built to hold 20 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. 14 psf is what the ground-load formula alone gives; Ritchie County's 20 psf low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) beats it, so that figure is the one that governs on flat and low-pitch roofs.
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. Modern-code homes carry a load like this without issue; an older addition, a carport, or any flat-roofed section is where it is worth checking first.
Ritchie County, WV: quick facts
- Design roof snow load20 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map20 psf
- National rank#1,147 of 2,758
- West Virginia rank#27 of 34
- Population8,170
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal23.8 in.
- FIPS54085
Ritchie County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,147 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 42%; within West Virginia alone, Ritchie County ranks #27 of 34. Ritchie County's figure lands almost exactly on West Virginia's own county-average of 20 psf.
Ritchie County, FIPS 54085, is home to 8,170 people near 39.1771°N 81.0663°W. Its 20 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 20 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Ritchie County's snowfall, most winters
23.8 in. a year: that's Ritchie County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at NEWPORT, OH US (17 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Ritchie County's number
Treat the Ritchie 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.