Why does the calculator say "parish" instead of "county"?
Louisiana is the only U.S. state whose civil subdivisions are parishes, not counties. It's a legacy of French and Spanish colonial governance, kept after the 1803 Louisiana Purchase and codified at statehood in 1812.
There are 64 parishes. Louisiana submittals always say parish. WindLoadCalc prints the parish name on every Louisiana output.
Which ASCE 7 edition does the Louisiana calculator use?
WindLoadCalc applies the latest ASCE 7-22 — the most current, conservative standard. Louisiana building departments commonly reference an earlier ASCE 7 edition, so confirm acceptance with your local jurisdiction.
Every Louisiana pressure uses the ASCE 7-22 wind speed maps in Chapter 26, MWFRS in Chapters 27 and 28, and Components and Cladding in Chapter 30.
What is the design wind speed in New Orleans versus Lake Charles?
Both sit on the ASCE 7-22 Gulf-coastal band. New Orleans (Orleans Parish, ZIPs 70112–70131) generally lands in 150–160 mph for Risk Category II.
Lake Charles (Calcasieu Parish, 70601–70611) sits in the same 150–160 mph band. Run a specific ZIP for the exact value.
How did Hurricane Katrina create the LSUCC?
Before August 29, 2005, Louisiana had no statewide building code. Hurricane Katrina killed more than 1,800 people and caused over $125 billion in damage.
Act 12 of 2005, passed in a special session, created the LSUCC. Phased rollout finished in 2007.
Did Hurricanes Ida, Laura and Francine change the code?
Laura (Cat 4, Cameron, Aug 27 2020), Delta (Cat 2, Oct 9 2020), Ida (Cat 4, Port Fourchon, Aug 29 2021) and Francine (Cat 2, Terrebonne, Sep 11 2024) each tested Louisiana's building stock.
None forced a special-session code change, but the forensic record continues to shape modern wind-design practice. WindLoadCalc applies the latest ASCE 7-22 standard.
Can WindLoadCalc seal my Louisiana wind load report?
No — we will not misrepresent scope. A Louisiana submittal requires a PE licensed by LAPELS. Our in-house PE is Florida-licensed.
PE sign-and-seal is available in all 50 states through the firm's PE network. The Engineering Report is structured for a LAPELS-licensed PE's review and seal.
What are coastal parish design wind speeds across Louisiana?
Under ASCE 7-22 for Risk Category II, the coastal parishes — Cameron, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Orleans, Jefferson, Lafourche, Terrebonne and Calcasieu — typically land in 150–160 mph.
St. Tammany drops to 140–150 mph; East Baton Rouge and Lafayette to 130–140 mph; Caddo and Ouachita in the north sit at 110–120 mph.
How does wind design in Louisiana compare with Florida?
Florida built its statewide building code after Hurricane Andrew in 1992; Louisiana created the LSUCC under Act 12 in 2005.
Florida's Miami-Dade/Broward HVHZ overlay carries 170–180 mph coastal overrides. Louisiana has no HVHZ and coastal speeds topping out near 160 mph. WindLoadCalc applies the latest ASCE 7-22 standard for both states.