Panhandle Wind and Snow Load Guide
Where the design numbers come from, and who to ask for yours.
We won't print a wind speed or snow load here. The right number depends on your exact site and what the building is for. But we can tell you where those numbers come from.
The City of Amarillo enforces the 2021 International Building Code, with local changes, and that code points to a standard called ASCE 7 for wind and snow loads. ASCE also runs an online hazard tool, so an engineer can look up the numbers for one address.
Outside city limits, Texas counties generally don't enforce building codes, so nobody may check your loads at all. That's a reason to be more careful, not less. Ask the builder which wind speed and snow load the drawings use, and confirm them with your county or a licensed engineer before you sign.
What goes into it
- Your address
- What the building will be used for
- The wind speed and snow load on the drawings
- Who stamped the drawings
How it goes
- Get the loads from the builder.
- Confirm them with an engineer or your county.
- Check the drawings match.
- Then order the steel.
Questions people ask
What code does Amarillo use?
The City of Amarillo adopted the 2021 International Building Code with local amendments.
Where do wind and snow numbers come from?
From the ASCE 7 standard that the building code points to. ASCE has an online tool to look them up by address.
Can I trust the kit maker's numbers?
Ask what they used, then confirm with your county or a licensed engineer.