California is not the hurricane coast. Most metros sit near the ASCE 7-22 baseline (~95–110 mph). But the wind check is still required on every permit — and five mountain passes spike well above the map.
7-day free trial · no credit card · ASCE 7-22 output formatted for CA PE / SE review.
In most of California, seismic drives the lateral system. Wind still has to be run, documented, and compared — and on some elements wind wins outright.
Across LA, the Bay Area, San Diego, and the Central Valley, the design wind speed sits near the ASCE 7-22 contour.
Wind stops being a formality on specific elements and locations, regardless of the seismic story.
WindLoadCalc computes to ASCE 7-22, the newest and most conservative edition of the wind-load standard.
California's current building code, the 2025 Building Standards Code (Title 24) built on the 2024 IBC, references ASCE 7-22 — the edition WindLoadCalc applies. The calculator outputs basic wind speed, exposure, MWFRS, and C&C zone pressures. Confirm with your local building department which edition your jurisdiction requires for submittal.
ASCE 7-22 shades mountain passes as Special Wind Regions where terrain funnels wind past the smoothed map. Inside these zones, use the county value — not the contour line.
The gap between the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains, funneling marine air into the Coachella Valley. Palm Springs (92262) sits on the edge. Riverside County publishes the design wind speed.
Between the southern Sierra Nevada and the Tehachapi Mountains. Tehachapi (93561) and Mojave (93501) fall inside it. Kern County holds the jurisdictional numbers.
The I-580 corridor from the Bay Area to the Central Valley. Livermore (94550) and Tracy (95376) are affected. Alameda and San Joaquin counties publish values.
The I-15 climb from the LA basin to the High Desert. Hesperia (92344) and Victorville (92392) sit downwind. San Bernardino County is the source.
The fifth shaded set covers Sierra crest and coastal headland areas (Donner, Carson, parts of the Mendocino coast). The calculator flags any SWR ZIP in the output — confirm the value with the local building department.
Approximate ASCE 7-22 Risk Category II basic wind speeds at representative ZIPs. Confirm the exact number in the calculator.
| Metro / region (sample ZIP) | Risk Cat II speed | California note |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (90015) | ~95–105 mph | Urban Exposure B. Seismic governs the MWFRS. |
| Beverly Hills (90210) | ~95–105 mph | Westside baseline; hillside lots may pull Exposure C. |
| San Francisco (94102 / 94110) | ~95–110 mph | Bay shoreline can shift to Exposure D. |
| Oakland (94612) | ~95–110 mph | East Bay hills run higher; Hayward Fault nearby. |
| San Jose (95110) | ~95–105 mph | Santa Clara Valley baseline. |
| San Diego (92101) | ~95–110 mph | Coastal influence on the shoreline. |
| Sacramento (95814) | ~95–105 mph | Central Valley baseline. |
| Ventura coast (93001) | ~100–115 mph | Exposure D on open-water sites. |
| Palm Springs (92262) SWR | ~110–130+ mph | Use the Riverside County value, not the map. |
| Tehachapi / Mojave (93561 / 93501) SWR | ~110–125 mph | Kern County publishes the local speed. |
| Livermore / Tracy (94550 / 95376) SWR | ~110–120 mph | Pull from Alameda or San Joaquin County. |
| Hesperia / Victorville (92344 / 92392) SWR | ~105–120 mph | San Bernardino County is the source. |
These are references, not design values. Risk Cat III (schools) and Cat IV (hospitals, EOCs) use higher speeds at the same site. For any SWR ZIP, the county value supersedes the contour map.
Enter a California ZIP. The county, city, and baseline speed populate. SWR ZIPs get a flag.
Pick Risk Category (II / III / IV) and Exposure (B / C / D) for the site.
Length, width, mean roof height, slope as X-in-12, roof shape, enclosure type.
Read MWFRS and zoned C&C, then export the Engineering Report for your CA PE or SE.
California is one of the few states where the PE / SE distinction changes by project type. Know which one your project needs.
Required for sealed structural drawings on essentially any permitted project.
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WindLoadCalc generates the wind calculations and the report; your in-state PE or SE seals it. Our in-house P.E. is licensed in Florida only, up to three stories — we do not provide California stamps.
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Yes. Most populated California metros sit near the ASCE 7-22 baseline — roughly 95 to 110 mph for Risk Category II, depending on the ZIP.
That is far below Gulf and Atlantic hurricane speeds. But lower wind is not zero wind: the building code still requires the calculation on every permitted project, and components and cladding are always wind-governed.
ASCE 7-22 shades five major mountain-pass regions as Special Wind Regions. Banning / San Gorgonio Pass (Palm Springs 92262), Tehachapi Pass (Tehachapi 93561, Mojave 93501), Altamont Pass (Livermore 94550, Tracy 95376), and Cajon Pass (Hesperia 92344, Victorville 92392).
Inside these zones the contour line does not apply — use the county jurisdictional value. The calculator flags these ZIPs in the output.
Downtown Los Angeles (90015) and Beverly Hills (90210) sit around 95 to 105 mph for Risk Category II.
San Francisco (94102 / 94110) runs 95 to 110 mph, with the bay shoreline pushing Exposure D. Confirm the exact ZIP-level number in the calculator — micro-terrain and exposure shift it.
WindLoadCalc computes to the latest ASCE 7-22 standard — the most current and conservative edition.
California's current building code, the 2025 Building Standards Code (Title 24) built on the 2024 IBC, references ASCE 7-22, exactly the edition WindLoadCalc applies. Confirm with your local building department which edition your jurisdiction requires for submittal.
Routine residential and small commercial work needs a California-licensed PE; an out-of-state seal is not accepted as the original.
Hospital projects under HCAI review (formerly OSHPD) and most DSA-reviewed public school projects require a California SE, the higher credential. WindLoadCalc generates the wind calculations and the report; your in-state PE or SE seals it.
No. Our in-house Professional Engineer is licensed in Florida only, up to three stories. We do not provide California PE or SE stamps.
For sealed work in any state, the firm's PE network can route sign-and-seal to a licensee where required — engage that separately from the calculator subscription.
Latest ASCE 7-22, five Special Wind Regions flagged at the ZIP, output formatted for CA PE / SE review. 7-day free trial, no credit card.
Reviewed by WindLoadCalc's in-house Florida P.E. Founded in Florida in 2002, online since 2006, across seven ASCE editions. California output is computed to the latest ASCE 7-22 standard.
California PE / SE stamps are not provided here; for sealed work the firm's PE network routes sign-and-seal to a licensee in any state. Last updated 2026-06-27.