Traverse County, MN Roof Snow Load - 35 psf
Traverse County, MN: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Traverse County's roofs are built to hold 35 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 77 inches of fresh, light snow, 28 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 7 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. A serious structural load. Homes built before modern snow-load provisions, or with low-slope/flat roof sections, are the ones most worth having checked.
Traverse County, MN: quick facts
- Design roof snow load35 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map50 psf
- National rank#210 of 2,758
- Minnesota rank#82 of 87
- Population3,134
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal42.9 in.
- FIPS27155
Traverse County by the numbers
Nationally that's #210 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 8%; within Minnesota alone, Traverse County ranks #82 of 87. Minnesota counties average 37.4 psf; Traverse County runs 2.4 psf lower than that.
Traverse County, FIPS 27155, is home to 3,134 people near 45.7699°N 96.4748°W. Its 50 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 35 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Traverse County's snowfall, most winters
42.9 in. a year: that's Traverse County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at WHEATON, MN US (3 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Traverse County's number
Treat the Traverse 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.)