Russell County, AL Roof Snow Load - 5 psf
Russell County, AL: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Russell County's roofs are built to hold 5 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. The physics-based figure alone would be 3.5 psf, but ASCE 7's own low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) sets a floor of 5 psf for flat and low-pitch roofs here, which is the number that actually governs.
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.
Russell County, AL: quick facts
- Design roof snow load5 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map5 psf
- National rank#2,178 of 2,758
- Alabama rank#29 of 67
- Population58,837
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal0 in.
- FIPS01113
Russell County by the numbers
Nationally that's #2,178 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 79%; within Alabama alone, Russell County ranks #29 of 67. 5.6 psf is Alabama's typical county figure - Russell County comes in 0.6 psf under it.
Russell County, FIPS 01113, is home to 58,837 people near 32.2898°N 85.187°W. Its 5 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 5 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Russell County's snowfall, most winters
0 in. a year: that's Russell County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at SEALE, AL US (8.5 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Russell County's number
Treat the Russell 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. Details: the calculation guide.