Whatcom County, WA Roof Snow Load - Case Study Area
Whatcom County, WA: no map figure, on purpose
ASCE 7's own snow load map has no single figure for Whatcom County: the terrain is complex enough that the code (§7.2) requires an elevation-specific study rather than a county-wide value. That is the map being accurate, not a data gap.
FIPS 53073, population 234,954. 386 US counties get this same case-study treatment; Whatcom County is one of them.
Whatcom County, WA: quick facts
- Population234,954
- Annual snowfall, NOAA normal42.4 in.
- FIPS53073
Whatcom County's snowfall, most winters
42.4 in. a year: that's Whatcom County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at UPPER BAKER DAM, WA US (14.7 mi away). See the density guide.
Before you rely on Whatcom County's number
Treat the Whatcom 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.)