Under the 2023 Florida Building Code, the design wind speed for an ordinary house in Manatee County falls between 140 and 150 mph. Sarasota County runs roughly 140 to 160 mph, with the 150 line crossing it. These are 3-second gusts for Risk Category II buildings, not hurricane category speeds.
If you are buying, building or replacing a roof near Bradenton, Palmetto, Anna Maria or Sarasota, someone will quote you a wind speed. Here is where that number comes from and what it does and does not tell you.
For an ordinary house, the 2023 Florida Building Code puts it between 140 and 150 mph in Manatee County, and a little higher in southern Sarasota County.
Design wind speed is the wind an engineer has to plan a building to handle. It is not a forecast, and it is not a hurricane category. It is a 3-second gust, measured about 33 feet above ground, for what the code calls Exposure C. The notes printed on the state map say the number matches about a 7 percent chance of being beaten in 50 years. That is the same as a 700-year return period.
The Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), took effect on December 31, 2023. It uses ASCE 7-22, the national wind standard. Its Figure 1609.3(1) is the map for Risk Category II, the group an ordinary house is checked against. Sarasota County's own ASCE report for a home address was run at Risk Category II. You can see how the code treats roofing under the Florida Building Code on its own page.
A 9th Edition is expected to take effect around December 31, 2026. The summaries we read did not list a wind speed change, but ask your building department which edition applies if your permit date is close.
Coastline can inspect your roof and send a written photo report, then explain what we find and what the code asks for in your area. We can also coordinate a licensed inspector for a wind mitigation form.
The state publishes lines on a map, not one number for each city. Here is what each county map and the ASCE tool show.
| Place | Where the number comes from | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Bradenton | Manatee County map (UF GeoPlan, Figure 1609.3(1) draft dated March 22, 2023) | Between the 140 mph and 150 mph lines |
| Palmetto | Manatee County map | Between the 140 mph and 150 mph lines |
| Anna Maria | Manatee County map | Between the 140 mph and 150 mph lines. Map note 3 says islands and coastal areas beyond the last line use that line's speed. |
| Sarasota | Sarasota County map | The 150 mph line crosses the county, with the 140 line at the northwest corner and the 160 line to the south |
| One address on Siesta Key (Sarasota County) | ASCE Hazard Tool report, ASCE 7-22, Risk Category II, run May 28, 2025 | 150 mph |
We did not find one published number for each city, so we are not going to make one up. The map notes allow reading between lines, which means a house near the 140 line is planned for less wind than a house near the 150 line. The state fact sheet says wind speeds on the Florida peninsula did not change in ASCE 7-22 and have stayed about the same since the 2010 code.
For a permit, the number that counts is the one your building department accepts. The state fact sheet says local jurisdictions often modify these maps, so confirm with the county office. Coastline is based in Palmetto and works mainly in Manatee County, South Pinellas and South Hillsborough, so these are the maps we read most. See our pages for Bradenton, Palmetto, Anna Maria and Sarasota.
Six notes printed on the Florida map or in the ASCE report that change how you read the number.
The map shows ultimate design wind speeds. The Siesta Key report also lists lower service level speeds: 79 mph for a 10-year return period, 99 mph for 25 years, 112 mph for 50 years and 125 mph for 100 years. It lists 150 mph at 700 years.
The map says this region includes hurricane-prone areas within 1 mile of the coast where the speed is 130 mph or more, and areas where the design speed is 140 mph or more. The Siesta Key report says glass openings at that address must be protected against flying debris.
Note 2 on the map says linear interpolation between contours is permitted. A spot halfway between the 140 and 150 lines can be treated as about 145 mph, if the local office agrees.
Note 3 says islands and coastal areas outside the last contour use the last wind speed contour of the coastal area. This matters for barrier islands like Anna Maria and Longboat Key.
The map says the exact location of the wind speed lines is set by local ordinance, using landmarks like roads, canals and rivers. The state fact sheet says the maps are often modified locally.
Wind speeds changed in ASCE 7-22 only in the Florida panhandle. The fact sheet says peninsula speeds have effectively not changed since the 2010 Florida Building Code.
They do not line up one to one. Hurricane categories use sustained wind. Design speeds use 3-second gusts.
| Category | Sustained winds | What NHC says can happen |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 74 to 95 mph | Some damage, such as roof, siding and gutter damage to well-built homes |
| 2 | 96 to 110 mph | Extensive damage, including major roof and siding damage to well-built homes |
| 3 | 111 to 129 mph | Devastating damage, including major damage or loss of roof decking and gable ends on well-built homes |
| 4 | 130 to 156 mph | Catastrophic damage, including loss of most of the roof structure and some exterior walls |
| 5 | 157 mph or higher | Catastrophic damage, with total roof failure and wall collapse on many framed homes |
The National Hurricane Center says the scale does not describe gusts, storm surge, rain flooding or tornadoes. So a 150 mph design gust and a Category 4 storm are measured two different ways. Do not line them up side by side. The scale also shows why roof damage starts early: even Category 1 winds can damage the roofs of well-built homes. After a storm, read our guide on Hurricane Milton roof damage in Manatee and Sarasota or learn what wind speed damages a roof.
It sets the target the roof has to be built to. It is the code's bar, not a promise that nothing will blow off.
A roof built to the code speed can still be damaged by a storm that beats it, by flying debris, or by a part that has worn out. If your roof is older, a written photo report shows its condition before the next season. Our hurricane season roof prep guide for Manatee County lists what to check.
Run the address through the ASCE Hazard Tool, then confirm the result with your county building office.
Go to ascehazardtool.org. The state fact sheet describes it as a free website that gives site-specific wind values for an address or a latitude and longitude.
The 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code uses ASCE 7-22. A house is checked at Risk Category II.
The report lists the 3-second gust at 33 feet for Exposure C, plus the speeds for different return periods. Save or print it.
The state fact sheet says that website cannot be used to get site-specific wind speeds under the 8th Edition, as of December 31, 2023.
Ask Manatee County or Sarasota County which number your permit uses. The state fact sheet says local jurisdictions often modify the maps.
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No. A design wind speed is a 3-second gust used to size a building, at about 33 feet above ground for Exposure C. Hurricane categories use sustained wind. The National Hurricane Center says its scale does not describe gusts. Treat them as two different measurements, and do not line the numbers up side by side.
Only in the panhandle. The Florida Building Commission fact sheet on ASCE 7-22 says wind speeds changed in the western panhandle, and that wind speeds on the peninsula are unchanged and have effectively not changed since the 2010 Florida Building Code. Manatee and Sarasota counties are on the peninsula.
Houses are normally checked at Risk Category II. Sarasota County's ASCE hazard report for a residential address uses Risk Category II. Separate maps exist for Risk Categories I, III and IV, including one for certain health care facilities. Your building department can confirm the category for your permit.
The two numbers measure different things. A warranty speed is a term in the maker's warranty. The code looks at the product's tested wind class and its Florida approval for how it is installed. Ask the roofer to show the approval number and the wind class for your address before you sign.
Ask the building department that issues your permit. The 8th Edition (2023) took effect on December 31, 2023. A 9th Edition is expected around December 31, 2026, so a permit pulled near that date may fall under a different edition.
Coastline inspects your roof and sends a written photo report, so you can see its condition before the next hurricane season.
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