SnowLoadCheck

Wise County, VA Roof Snow Load - 15 psf

Wise County, VA: your roof's ASCE 7 snow number, in plain English

Moderate
15 psf

Wise County's roofs are built to hold 15 psf of snow, the ASCE 7-22 figure a permit reviewer checks first. 10.5 psf is what the ground-load formula alone gives; Wise County's 15 psf low-slope minimum (§7.3.4) beats it, so that figure is the one that governs on flat and low-pitch roofs.

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. A meaningful design load. Most homes built to modern code handle it, but additions, carports, and flat-roofed sections are worth a second look.

Wise County at a glance

Wise County by the numbers

Nationally that's #1,414 out of 2,758 rated counties, the top 51%; within Virginia alone, Wise County ranks #85 of 110. 18.3 psf is Virginia's typical county figure - Wise County comes in 3.3 psf under it.

Wise County, FIPS 51195, is home to 34,973 people near 36.9746°N 82.6216°W. Its 15 psf ground snow load figure is the map value; 15 psf is what a roof is actually designed for.

Wise County's snowfall, most winters

9.2 in. a year: that's Wise County's NOAA 1991-2020 snowfall normal, measured at BIG STONE GAP, VA US (12.8 mi away). See the density guide.

Before you rely on Wise County's number

Treat the Wise 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. Details: the calculation guide.