Union County, GA Roof Snow Load - 10 psf
Union County, GA: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Union County's roofs are built to hold 10 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. 7 psf is what the ground-load formula alone gives; Union County's 10 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 22 inches of fresh, light snow, 8 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 2 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. This is a modest add-on to standard roof loading - ordinary residential construction carries it without extra bracing.
Union County at a glance
- Design roof snow load10 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map10 psf
- National rank#1,857 of 2,758
- Georgia rank#10 of 159
- Population27,601
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal3.1 in.
- FIPS13291
Union County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,857 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 67%; within Georgia alone, Union County ranks #10 of 159. That's 6.4 psf above Georgia's own county-average design load of 3.6 psf.
Union County, FIPS 13291, is home to 27,601 people near 34.8333°N 83.9893°W. Its 10 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 10 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Union County's snowfall, most winters
3.1 in. a year: that's Union County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at BLAIRSVILLE EXP STN, GA US (2.9 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Union County's number
Treat the Union 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.