FLORIDA · ORANGE COUNTY
Fifty miles from either coast, where the storm crosses the peninsula and fades
Orlando anchors inland Central Florida — the theme-park capital, ringed by lakes, far from the surf on both sides. Hurricanes still reach it across the peninsula, but they arrive weakened. Standard Florida Building Code applies; this is not the HVHZ.
CENTRAL FLORIDA GEOGRAPHY
A landlocked city stitched together by lakes
Orlando sits deep in the peninsula's interior, roughly 50–70 miles from both the Atlantic and the Gulf. Storms cross land before they get here, losing energy — but the city's open lakes still feed local exposure.
Exposure B — suburban grain
Most of Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland and Altamonte Springs is closely-spaced suburban build-out. These residential tracts typically qualify for Exposure B.
SUBURBANExposure C — open & lakeside
Commercial corridors, agricultural tracts, new subdivisions and lake-adjacent lots with open fetch over the water can push the site to Exposure C.
OPEN TERRAINNo blanket rule
Unlike Miami-Dade, Orange County does not mandate one exposure. Per ASCE 7-22 §26.7 you assess upwind roughness lot by lot.
SITE-SPECIFICINLAND, NOT HIGH-VELOCITY
Real hurricane history, but standard FBC — not HVHZ
Orlando's interior position lowers design velocities well below the South Florida coast. The High-Velocity Hurricane Zone never reaches Orange County — Florida Product Approval governs here, not Miami-Dade NOA.
| Topic | Orlando (Orange, INLAND · NOT HVHZ) | Miami-Dade / Broward (HVHZ) |
|---|---|---|
| Design wind (Risk II) | 130–140 mph | Typically ~170–180 mph |
| Product approval | Florida Product Approval | Miami-Dade NOA |
| Impact testing | Standard FBC provisions | Mandatory TAS protocols |
| Exposure rule | B suburban · C open / lakeside | Exposure C effectively mandated |
| Method | ASCE 7-22 per FBC 8th Ed. | ASCE 7-22 + HVHZ overlay |
Why inland Orlando reads below the coast
Hurricanes that cross the peninsula drag over land before they reach Central Florida, shedding the punch they carried at the shoreline. Charley (2004) still passed directly over Orlando as a strong inland storm, and Irma (2017) tracked up the spine — proof the interior is not immune, just lower. The ASCE 7-22 map captures that with a 130–140 mph Risk II band.
RISK CATEGORY · ASCE 7-22 TABLE 1.5-1
Heavier occupancies read a longer-return wind map
Risk category does not multiply your speed — it points you at a different basic wind speed map with a longer mean recurrence interval. Higher category, longer return period, higher load.
| Risk Category | Map (MRI) | Typical Orlando Buildings |
|---|---|---|
| I | 300-year | Agricultural, minor storage, low-occupancy structures |
| II | 700-year | Homes, retail, offices — most standard occupancy |
| III | 1,700-year | Schools, assembly over 300, substantial-hazard facilities |
| IV | 3,000-year | Hospitals, fire/police, EOCs, hurricane shelters |
ORANGE COUNTY COMPLIANCE
What an Orlando permit set has to carry
Every sealed wind calculation in Orange County rests on the same four pillars.
Site wind speed
Pull V from the ASCE 7-22 map for the exact address — 130–140 mph for Risk II across the Orlando metro.
130–140 MPHExposure call
B for built-up suburban blocks; C for open terrain and lakeside lots — justified with upwind surrounding-roughness notes.
B / CProduct approval
Windows, doors, roofing, cladding and shutters must carry valid Florida Product Approval numbers — verified at the state database.
FL-PAFlorida PE seal
Calculations must be sealed by a Florida-licensed PE or architect, with full ASCE 7-22 methodology plus C&C and MWFRS pressures.
SEALEDOFFICIAL REFERENCES
Verify it at the source
Orange County and state portals for permit, product approval and licensing checks.
Orange County Planning & Development
County planning and development services portal.
ORANGECOUNTYFLCity of Orlando Building Department
City of Orlando Building Safety division.
ORLANDO.GOVFlorida Product Approval Database
Search and verify Florida Product Approval numbers.
FL-PA DBFlorida PE Licensing (DBPR)
Confirm engineer and architect licensure status.
DBPRCentral Florida mistakes to dodge
Don't borrow Miami's high-velocity speeds or its NOA path — Orlando is standard FBC. Don't assume Exposure B everywhere when lakeside and open lots run C, don't apply HVHZ TAS testing where it isn't required, and don't run an older ASCE edition: FBC 8th Edition mandates ASCE 7-22.
EXPLORE FLORIDA
Compare across the Sunshine State
From the Central Florida interior down to the South Florida HVHZ.
RUN THE NUMBERS
Get an Orlando-compliant wind load calculation
Enter an Orange County address and the calculator applies the 130–140 mph map band, exposure guidance, risk category and full ASCE 7-22 pressures — PE-ready for permit submission.