Florida Wind Zone Map for South Florida
What wind zone your home is in, which counties are in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, and how the mapped wind speed turns into the ratings your impact windows and doors need.
What "wind zone" means in Florida
When people ask what wind zone they are in, the Florida Building Code answer is a design wind speed: a 3-second gust speed read from the code's wind speed maps for the property's location and risk category. Homes are Risk Category II. The 2023 code uses the ASCE 7-22 maps, and in South Florida two more labels ride along with that speed: whether the property is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) and whether it is in the wind-borne debris region.
Those three facts decide which product approvals are accepted and whether openings need impact windows and impact doors or approved shutters. The design pressure for each opening is a separate step, covered below.
South Florida wind zone lookup by county
Risk Category II design wind speeds under the 2023 Florida Building Code. These are the same values our wind load calculator starts from. Schools, assembly buildings and essential facilities use higher speeds; see the building risk category guide.
| County | Design wind speed (Risk Category II) | HVHZ | Product approval accepted | Local guides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | 175 mph | Yes | Miami-Dade NOA or a Florida Product Approval approved for HVHZ use | Miami, Miami Beach, Doral |
| Broward | 170 mph | Yes | Miami-Dade NOA or a Florida Product Approval approved for HVHZ use | Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs |
| Palm Beach | 160 to 170 mph, varies by location | No | Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade NOA | Boca Raton, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach |
HVHZ, wind-borne debris and hurricane-prone regions
High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. The Florida Building Code applies its strictest wind provisions to Miami-Dade and Broward counties only. Windows and doors there need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance or a Florida Product Approval specifically approved for HVHZ use, tested to the large-missile impact and cyclic pressure protocols. Our Florida Building Code guide walks through those approvals and the permit process.
Wind-borne debris region. ASCE 7 defines the wind-borne debris region as the part of the hurricane-prone region within one mile of the coastal mean high water line where the design wind speed is at least 130 mph, plus anywhere the design speed is at least 140 mph. Glazed openings in this region need impact-rated products or approved protection. Every South Florida speed in the table above is 160 mph or more, so Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties are all inside it. The guide covers opening protection and how the region differs from the HVHZ.
Hurricane-prone region. This is the broader band along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts where the design wind speed exceeds 115 mph. It sets when hurricane provisions apply at all. In South Florida, the wind-borne debris and HVHZ rules above are the ones that drive window and door choices.
Higher risk categories, such as schools, shelters and hospitals, use higher mapped speeds than homes. For statewide maps and code updates, see the Florida Building Commission.
From wind speed to window rating
A mapped wind speed is not a window rating. ASCE 7 first turns it into a velocity pressure at the roof height, adjusted for the wind exposure category of the site. The table shows that step for a 15 ft mean roof height, computed with the same engine as our wind speed to psf calculator. Values are illustrative for education.
| Design wind speed | Where it applies | qh, Exposure C | qh, Exposure D |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160 mph | Palm Beach | 47.4 psf | 57.7 psf |
| 165 mph | Palm Beach | 50.4 psf | 61.3 psf |
| 170 mph | Broward, Palm Beach | 53.5 psf | 65.1 psf |
| 175 mph | Miami-Dade | 56.7 psf | 69.0 psf |
Engineers then apply pressure coefficients for the wall zone and the size of each opening, add internal pressure, and report allowable stress design values that match NOA and product approval ratings. Corner openings and small panes see the highest suction. The building wind load calculator runs that whole chain for planning, and the design pressure ratings guide explains how to read the DP numbers on a product.
What to do next
- Find your county in the lookup above. In Palm Beach County, confirm the exact speed for your address.
- Decide whether the lot is inland (usually Exposure C) or faces open water (often Exposure D).
- Estimate each opening's positive and negative pressures with the wind load calculator.
- Check that each product's approval covers those pressures and, in Miami-Dade or Broward, is valid for HVHZ use.
- Submit sealed wind load calculations with the permit unless your building department accepts an approved county chart for your home.
Florida wind zone questions
What wind zone am I in if I live in South Florida?
Under the 2023 Florida Building Code, a typical home (Risk Category II) uses a design wind speed of 175 mph in Miami-Dade County and 170 mph in Broward County, and both counties are in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Palm Beach County is outside the HVHZ, and its design wind speed varies from about 160 to 170 mph depending on where the property sits, so check the county wind speed map for your address.
Is my home in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ)?
If the property is in Miami-Dade or Broward County, yes. The Florida Building Code applies its HVHZ provisions to those two counties only. Palm Beach County and the rest of Florida are outside the HVHZ, even where design wind speeds are still high.
What is the wind-borne debris region?
It is the part of the hurricane-prone region where flying debris is expected in a storm, so glazed openings need impact-rated products or approved protection. ASCE 7 defines it as areas within one mile of the coastal mean high water line where the design wind speed is at least 130 mph, plus any area where it is at least 140 mph. With design speeds of 160 mph and up, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties are inside it.
Does the wind zone map tell me what design pressure my windows need?
No. The map gives a design wind speed. Each opening still needs a design pressure that depends on roof height, wind exposure category, the size of the opening and whether it sits near a corner of the building. Use the wind load calculator for a planning estimate, and rely on sealed calculations by a Florida-licensed Professional Engineer, or an approved county chart, for the permit.
Is a Florida building code wind zone the same as a HUD wind zone?
No. HUD uses its own Wind Zone I, II and III system for manufactured homes built to the federal HUD code. Site-built homes and their windows and doors follow the Florida Building Code wind speed maps described on this page. If you own a manufactured home, check the HUD wind zone on the home's data plate and with the manufacturer.
Where can I look up the exact design wind speed for my address?
The ATC Hazards by Location tool returns ASCE 7 wind speeds for an address and risk category, and Palm Beach County publishes its own wind speed maps. Your building department and the engineer sealing your wind load calculation have the final word for the permit.
Impact windows and doors rated for your wind zone
National Glass & Construction orders the sealed wind load calculations for your permit and quotes impact windows and doors approved for your county, including HVHZ jobs in Miami-Dade and Broward.