Winnebago County, WI Roof Snow Load - 24.5 psf

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

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. Modern-code homes carry a load like this without issue; an older addition, a carport, or any flat-roofed section is where it is worth checking first.

Winnebago County, WI: quick facts

• Design roof snow load24.5 psf
• Ground snow load, ASCE 7 map35 psf
• National rank#309 of 2,758
• Wisconsin rank#45 of 72
• Population173,307
• Annual snowfall, NOAA normal37.6 in.
• FIPS55139

How Winnebago County compares

24.5 psf ranks #309 of 2,758 US counties with a mapped snow load (top 11%) - and #45 of 72 in Wisconsin. That's 6.4 psf below Wisconsin's own county-average design load of 30.9 psf.

Population 173,307 (FIPS 55139), roughly 44.0857°N 88.6681°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 Winnebago County, WI

NOAA's 30-year normal for Winnebago County: 37.6 in. of snow a year, from the RIPON 5 NE, WI US station. (fresh vs. packed vs. ice explains why.)

What this Winnebago 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.

Winnebago 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.