Snow load in Chippewa County, Minnesota: pg = 50 psf
The code ground snow load in Chippewa County is 50 psf (2.39 kN/m²) — 29 of 87 counties have a higher value in Minnesota. The calculator below is prefilled with that value: choose exposure, thermal condition, risk category and roof slope to get the roof snow load.
| Where | pg (psf) | kN/m² |
|---|---|---|
| Entire county | 50 | 2.39 |
Educational estimate only. Excludes drifts, sliding snow, rain-on-snow surcharge, unbalanced and partial loads, and any local amendments. ASCE 7-22 changed the method (risk-targeted pg, no Is in pf). Design loads must come from the adopted building code and a licensed engineer.
Check the snow load for a real project
Upload the drawings or describe the roof — Planium works out exposure, drifts at parapets and roof steps, and what to confirm with the Chippewa County building official.
From ground snow load to roof snow load
ASCE 7 converts the ground snow load into a flat roof snow load with pf = 0.7 · Ce · Ct · Is · pg. With pg = 50 psf, a typical heated, partially exposed home in suburban terrain gets pf = 0.7 × 1.0 × 1.0 × 1.0 × 50 = 35 psf. Roofs sloped below 15° must also be checked against the minimum load of 20 psf. Steep roofs shed snow, so the sloped roof load ps = Cs · pf falls once the slope passes about 30° on a warm roof.
Drifts usually govern the critical members: snow piles up against parapets, at lower roofs next to taller buildings and in valleys, and can reach several times the balanced load locally.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ground snow load in Chippewa County, Minnesota?
What roof snow load should I use in Chippewa County?
Does the local building department have the final say?
Counties near Chippewa
- Swift · 50 psf
- Yellow Medicine · 50 psf
- Kandiyohi · 50 psf
- Lac qui Parle · 50 psf
- Renville · 50 psf
- Pope · 50 psf
- Stevens · 50 psf
- Lyon · 50 psf