Toole County, MT Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
How much snow is too much for a roof in Toole County, MT?
15 psf: that's what ASCE 7-22 requires a typical heated home's roof in Toole County to carry. ASCE 7's low-slope-roof minimum (§7.3.4) raises the governing figure to 15 psf - higher than the 10.5 psf the ground-load formula alone would give, and the code says use the larger one.
Picture it, not just weigh it: 33 in. if it's fresh powder, 12 in. once it settles, or a mere 3 in. if it's ice. A meaningful design load. Most homes built to modern code handle it, but additions, carports, and flat-roofed sections are worth a second look.
Toole County, MT: quick facts
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,604 of 2,758
- Montana rank#27 of 29
- Population5,153
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal48.8 in.
- FIPS30101
How Toole County compares
15 psf ranks #1,604 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 58%) - and #27 of 29 in Montana. Montana counties average 19 psf; Toole County runs 4 psf lower than that.
Population 5,153 (FIPS 30101), roughly 48.6451°N 111.7335°W. The 15 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 15 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.
Typical snowfall in Toole County, MT
NOAA's 30-year normal for Toole County: 48.8 in. of snow a year, from the GALATA 16 SW, MT US station. 25.5 mi is a real gap between Toole County and its nearest reporting station, so local snowfall can diverge from this figure, especially near elevation changes. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)
What this Toole 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.
Toole 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.