Snow Load in California

58 counties — Average 0.9 PSF (Light)

39
4
15
No Load (67.2%) Light (6.9%) Case Study (25.9%)
No Snow Load — 39 counties with 0 PSF. No structural snow load design needed.
Light — 4 counties with 1–20 PSF. Standard roof construction is typically sufficient.
Case Study — 15 counties where snow loads vary too much to assign one number. A licensed engineer must determine the load for your specific site.

Based on ASCE 7-22, the national standard for structural snow loads used by engineers and building codes across the US.

California Snow Load Map

Counties colored by snow load classification.

California

Check Your ZIP Code

All 58 Counties — By Snow Load

CountyClassificationSnow Load
Alameda None 0 PSF
Alpine Case Study Site Study
Amador None 0 PSF
Butte Case Study Site Study
Calaveras None 0 PSF
Colusa None 0 PSF
Contra Costa None 0 PSF
Del Norte Light 5 PSF
El Dorado Case Study Site Study
Fresno None 0 PSF
Glenn None 0 PSF
Humboldt None 0 PSF
Imperial None 0 PSF
Inyo None 0 PSF
Kern None 0 PSF
Kings None 0 PSF
Lake Case Study Site Study
Lassen Light 15 PSF
Los Angeles None 0 PSF
Madera Case Study Site Study
Marin None 0 PSF
Mariposa Case Study Site Study
Mendocino None 0 PSF
Merced None 0 PSF
Modoc Light 15 PSF
Mono Case Study Site Study
Monterey None 0 PSF
Napa None 0 PSF
Nevada Case Study Site Study
Orange None 0 PSF
Placer Case Study Site Study
Plumas Case Study Site Study
Riverside None 0 PSF
Sacramento None 0 PSF
San Benito None 0 PSF
San Bernardino None 0 PSF
San Diego None 0 PSF
San Francisco None 0 PSF
San Joaquin None 0 PSF
San Luis Obispo None 0 PSF
San Mateo None 0 PSF
Santa Barbara None 0 PSF
Santa Clara None 0 PSF
Santa Cruz None 0 PSF
Shasta Case Study Site Study
Sierra Case Study Site Study
Siskiyou Case Study Site Study
Solano None 0 PSF
Sonoma Case Study Site Study
Stanislaus None 0 PSF
Sutter None 0 PSF
Tehama Light 5 PSF
Trinity Case Study Site Study
Tulare None 0 PSF
Tuolumne None 0 PSF
Ventura None 0 PSF
Yolo None 0 PSF
Yuba None 0 PSF

Source: ASCE 7-22 ground snow load data

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the snow load in California?

California has an average ground snow load of 0.9 PSF, classified as light. Out of 58 counties: 39 have no load, 4 light, 15 case study.

Which California counties have the highest snow load?

15 counties require a site-specific case study. See the county table above for a complete breakdown.

How do I check snow load for my California address?

Enter your ZIP code in the search box above to see your area's ASCE 7-22 ground snow load, classification, and roof snow load calculator.

Explore All States
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict Of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming