CALIFORNIA · 2025 CBC (TITLE 24) · ASCE 7-22
California Wind Load Requirements
A seismic-first state where wind still has to clear plan-check — lower speeds statewide, but sharp spikes through the mountain passes and special wind regions.
ADOPTED CODE & STANDARD
California Code & ASCE Edition
The 2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) builds on the 2024 IBC and adopts ASCE 7-22 for wind, with state amendments for seismic and coastal regions.
2025 CBC
Title 24, Part 2 — California's own code on a 2024 IBC base.
TITLE 24ASCE 7-22
Adopted wind standard — minimum design loads & associated criteria.
WIND STANDARDSeismic + Wind
Every design evaluates both; the governing case controls the final member.
DUAL-LOADCoastal & Title 24
Enhanced Pacific-coast provisions plus Title 24, Part 6 envelope coordination.
ENVELOPEKey requirement: all California structural designs must consider both wind and seismic loads. Seismic often governs the main structure, but for coastal and high-wind zones wind frequently controls envelope (C&C) component design.
WIND ACROSS THE STATE · RANGES, NOT POINTS
Wind Across California
California is comparatively low-wind. Speeds rise with elevation and exposure, then spike where wind funnels through mountain passes — the state's special wind regions.
Special Wind Regions
Banning, Tehachapi, Cajon & Altamont passes — auto-flagged by the calculator. Site-specific speeds required.
110–130 MPHPacific Coast
Direct ocean exposure raises envelope pressures along the coastline.
85–110 MPHMountain Regions
Sierra Nevada and ranges — topographic speed-up over ridges and peaks.
90–120 MPHDesert Areas
Mojave and Colorado Desert — open terrain with wind-tunnel corridors.
90–110 MPHInland Valleys
Central Valley floor and metro basins — the state's calmest wind.
85–100 MPHWind speed is set by: ASCE 7-22 wind speed maps, local jurisdiction amendments, coastal exposure, elevation & topographic (Kzt) effects, and special wind region designations. Pass corridors require site-specific determination — no single statewide number applies.
CITY GUIDES · 13 METROS
Major California Cities
Per-city wind speeds, local code notes, exposure and topographic factors. Ranges are qualitative; confirm site values in the calculator.
Los Angeles
Urban basin and beaches.
85–95 MPHSan Diego
Coastal exposure, southern coast.
85–95 MPHSan Jose
Silicon Valley tech hub.
85–95 MPHSan Francisco
Bay winds, Golden Gate exposure.
95–110 MPHSacramento
State capital, Central Valley.
85–95 MPHFresno
Agricultural heartland.
85–95 MPHOakland
East Bay port and hills.
90–100 MPHLong Beach
Pacific coast port city.
90–100 MPHAnaheim
Orange County, theme-park city.
85–95 MPHSanta Ana
Famous Santa Ana winds.
90–105 MPHRiverside
Inland Empire, mountain pass winds.
90–105 MPHStockton
Delta region, valley conditions.
85–95 MPHBakersfield
Southern Central Valley.
85–100 MPHWHAT CALIFORNIA REQUIRES
Requirements & Compliance
From PE/SE sealing to DSA review and topographic factors — the provisions that govern a compliant California submittal.
PE / SE Seal
Required for commercial, multi-family (4+), coastal high-wind C&C, hospitals & essential facilities.
STAMP REQUIREDDSA for Schools
Division of the State Architect governs K-12 and community colleges — California SE license and full plan review.
SE LICENSETopographic Kzt
Coastal bluffs, ridges & isolated hills per ASCE 7-22 §26.8 — speed-up raises envelope pressures.
§26.8C&C Pressures
Per ASCE 7-22 Ch. 30 — windows, curtain walls, roofing, cladding, parapets & fasteners.
CHAPTER 30Exposure B / C / D
Urban B, open-terrain C (the common default), and strict coastal D criteria.
SURFACE ROUGHNESSTitle 24 Solar
Mandatory rooftop PV on new residential — mounting per ASCE 7-22 Ch. 30 GCrn coefficients.
MOUNTING WINDRisk category & wind: ASCE 7-22 has no wind importance factor — instead a higher risk category points to a longer return-period speed map, so design wind speed and loads rise with category. In California, public K-12 schools sit at the highest tier under DSA, and Title 24 solar applies across all categories for residential.
| Risk Category | Typical California Use | Speed Map (MRI) |
|---|---|---|
| I | Agricultural, minor storage, temporary structures | Lowest (300-yr) |
| II | Homes, offices, retail, most commercial & industrial | Standard (700-yr) |
| III | Assembly >300, colleges, healthcare, jails, power/water | Higher (1,700-yr) |
| IV | Hospitals, fire/police, EOCs, shelters — plus DSA K-12 schools | Highest (3,000-yr) |
START YOUR CALIFORNIA ANALYSIS
Get California Wind Loads Right
Seismic-first, wind-accurate. The calculator pre-loads ASCE 7-22 speeds for every ZIP, flags the special wind regions, and keeps seismic coordination notes on the report.