Washington County, WI Roof Snow Load - 21 psf

How much snow is too much for a roof in Washington County, WI?

Picture it, not just weigh it: 46.2 in. if it's fresh powder, 16.8 in. once it settles, or a mere 4.2 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.

Washington County in numbers

• Design roof snow load21 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map30 psf
• National rank#412 of 2,758
• Wisconsin rank#61 of 72
• Population138,727
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal54.3 in.
• FIPS55131

How Washington County compares

21 psf ranks #412 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 15%) - and #61 of 72 in Wisconsin. That's 9.9 psf below Wisconsin's own county-average design load of 30.9 psf.

Population 138,727 (FIPS 55131), roughly 43.3912°N 88.2329°W. The 30 psf ground snow load ASCE 7-22 maps here becomes 21 psf once the code's own design factors are applied.

Typical snowfall in Washington County, WI

NOAA's 30-year normal for Washington County: 54.3 in. of snow a year, from the GERMANTOWN, WI US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Washington 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.

Washington 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. See the methodology guide.