Washakie County, WY Roof Snow Load - 15 psf
Washakie County, WY: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English
Washakie County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. The physics-based figure alone would be 10.5 psf, but ASCE 7's own low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) sets a floor of 15 psf for flat and low-pitch roofs here, which is the number that actually governs.
In depth, not weight: that's roughly 33 inches of fresh, light snow, 12 inches of old, settled snow, or as little as 3 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 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.
Washakie County in numbers
- Design roof snow load15 psf
- Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map15 psf
- National rank#1,577 of 2,758
- Wyoming rank#16 of 18
- Population7,662
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal72.6 in.
- FIPS56043
Washakie County by the numbers
Nationally that's #1,577 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 57%; within Wyoming alone, Washakie County ranks #16 of 18. Wyoming counties average 17.5 psf; Washakie County runs 2.5 psf lower than that.
Washakie County, FIPS 56043, is home to 7,662 people near 43.8788°N 107.6691°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.
Washakie County's snowfall, most winters
72.6 in. a year: that's Washakie County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at BLACK MTN, WY US (15.8 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Washakie County's number
Treat the Washakie 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.)