Schenectady County, NY Roof Snow Load - 28 psf

How much snow is too much for a roof in Schenectady County, NY?

Picture it, not just weigh it: 61.6 in. if it's fresh powder, 22.4 in. once it settles, or a mere 5.6 in. if it's ice. This is a meaningful design load - most modern-code homes handle it fine, though an addition, a carport or a flat-roofed section can be a weak spot.

Schenectady County at a glance

• Design roof snow load28 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map40 psf
• National rank#226 of 2,758
• New York rank#6 of 28
• Population162,261
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal59.2 in.
• FIPS36093

How Schenectady County compares

28 psf ranks #226 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 8%) - and #6 of 28 in New York. New York counties average 25.4 psf; Schenectady County runs 2.6 psf higher than that.

Population 162,261 (FIPS 36093), roughly 42.8176°N 74.0436°W. The 40 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 28 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.

Typical snowfall in Schenectady County, NY

NOAA's 30-year normal for Schenectady County: 59.2 in. of snow a year, from the ALBANY AP, NY US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Schenectady County figure assumes

This is a county-level reference figure for a typical heated home built to Risk Category II (ordinary residential), on a partially exposed lot - the assumptions ASCE 7-22 itself treats as the default case. A steeper roof, a fully exposed hilltop lot, an unheated structure, or a higher risk category all change the actual number.

Schenectady County's permit office wants an address-specific figure, not this county average - the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool is free, takes under a minute, and outputs a PDF most reviewers accept. Details: the calculation guide.