NEW YORK · ASCE 7-16
New York Wind Load Requirements
From the Atlantic coast of Long Island to the Adirondack ridgelines, New York wind design runs on the 2020 NY State Building Code and ASCE 7-16 — with NYC under its own code.
ADOPTED CODE · STANDARD
The Code Behind NY Wind Design
New York adopts the 2020 NY State Building Code (based on the 2018 IBC), which references ASCE 7-16 for all wind loads. New York City runs its own NYC Building Code, based on the 2021 IBC.
2020 NY State Building Code
Based on the 2018 IBC with state-specific amendments.
STATEWIDENYC Building Code
The five boroughs follow NYC BC, based on the 2021 IBC with extensive local amendments.
NYC ONLYASCE 7-16
The referenced standard for MWFRS and Components & Cladding wind pressures.
REFERENCEDAHJ Enforcement
Local building departments and municipal code enforcement act as the authority having jurisdiction.
LOCAL AHJWIND SPEED MAP · RISK CAT II VULT
Coast vs. Upstate
New York's geography drives a wide spread of ASCE 7-16 ultimate design wind speeds — highest along the Atlantic coast, lowest across the upstate interior.
| Region | Vult (Risk Cat II) | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island (coastal) | 110–130 mph | Nor'easters, tropical storms, possible Exposure D |
| New York City | 105–115 mph | Urban high-rise, NYC BC governs |
| Hudson Valley | 95–110 mph | Transitional inland terrain |
| Adirondack Mountains | 95–115 mph | Elevation-dependent topographic acceleration |
| Upstate New York | 90–105 mph | Interior, lower baseline winds |
| Western NY (Great Lakes) | 90–105 mph | Lake-effect, severe thunderstorms |
| Finger Lakes Region | 90–105 mph | Inland, moderate exposure |
Long Island and other coastal areas carry the highest design winds and may trigger Exposure D, plus salt-spray corrosion, storm-surge flood coordination, and dune-erosion foundation design.
CITY GUIDES · LOCAL DETAIL
New York City & Metro Guides
Local building-department contacts, zip references, and municipality-specific wind speeds for New York's major markets.
New York City
The five boroughs under NYC Building Code.
110–120 MPHLong Island
Coastal, highest design winds in the state.
115–130 MPHBuffalo
Great Lakes lake-effect and severe winds.
100–115 MPHRochester
Lake Ontario shoreline exposure.
100–110 MPHSyracuse
Central NY snow-belt and wind loads.
100–110 MPHAlbany
Capital District, Hudson Valley corridor.
100–110 MPHDESIGN REQUIREMENTS
What NY Projects Must Cover
PE/RA sealing, Components & Cladding pressures, and a continuous load path are the backbone of compliant New York wind design.
PE / RA Seal
A NY-licensed Professional Engineer or Registered Architect must seal structural design — required for commercial, multi-family, essential, and high-rise work.
LICENSED IN NYComponents & Cladding
Windows, doors, roofing, siding, parapets, and railings sized for corner, edge, and field zone pressures per ASCE 7-16.
C&C ZONESContinuous Load Path
Roof-to-wall straps, wall-to-foundation anchors, shear walls, and diaphragms carry wind from roof to foundation without interruption.
UPLIFT-RATEDNYC Special Provisions
Higher specified wind speeds, Local Law 11 / FISP facade inspections every 5 years, curtain-wall mock-ups, and expanded special inspections.
NYC BCASCE 7-16 · RISK CATEGORIES
Risk Category Sets the Map
ASCE 7-16 sorts structures into four Risk Categories by occupancy. Higher risk reads a longer-return-period speed map, raising design wind speeds.
Category I
Agricultural facilities and temporary structures.
LOWEST SPEEDSCategory II
Standard residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.
STANDARDCategory III
Schools, assembly housing 300+, jails, and similar.
INCREASEDCategory IV
Hospitals, fire stations, EOCs, and essential facilities.
HIGHEST SPEEDSRUN THE NUMBERS
Calculate New York Wind Loads
Get ASCE 7-16 MWFRS and C&C pressures for any New York site with professional calculator software.