Union County, SD Roof Snow Load - 24.5 psf
How much snow is too much for a roof in Union County, SD?
24.5 psf: that's what ASCE 7-22 requires a typical heated home's roof in Union County to carry.
Picture it, not just weigh it: 53.9 in. if it's fresh powder, 19.6 in. once it settles, or a mere 4.9 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.
Union County, SD: quick facts
- Design roof snow load24.5 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map35 psf
- National rank#342 of 2,758
- South Dakota rank#47 of 65
- Population17,402
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal36.6 in.
- FIPS46127
How Union County compares
24.5 psf ranks #342 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 12%) - and #47 of 65 in South Dakota. South Dakota counties average 28.2 psf; Union County runs 3.7 psf lower than that.
Population 17,402 (FIPS 46127), roughly 42.8311°N 96.6508°W. The 35 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 24.5 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.
Typical snowfall in Union County, SD
NOAA's 30-year normal for Union County: 36.6 in. of snow a year, from the AKRON, IA US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)
What this Union 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.
Union 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.