Glossary · Snow and wind
Snow and wind zones
The zones of maps Fig. 8.1 and 9.1 of DBN V.1.2-2:2006; for calculations the S₀ and W₀ values in Pa from the city table are easier to use.
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Definition
A search for “snow zone Kyiv” usually means one thing: what snow load to design for. DBN V.1.2-2:2006 offers two ways. One is the zoning maps of Ukraine by characteristic snow cover weight (Fig. 8.1) and by characteristic wind pressure (Fig. 9.1). The other is the reference table of cities (Annex E), which gives S₀ and W₀ in pascals for each city directly. Clauses 8.5 and 9.6 allow both.
For a specific city the table is more precise: it gives a number, while the map gives zone boundaries read by eye. That is why Solispec publishes values in pascals and does not reproduce zone numbers from the map. The values for all 22 regional centres are on the snow and wind by city page.
Values for regional centres
| City | S₀, Pa | W₀, Pa |
|---|---|---|
| Kyiv | 1,550 | 370 |
| Chernihiv | 1,720 | 410 |
| Kharkiv | 1,600 | 430 |
| Lviv | 1,310 | 520 |
| Odesa | 880 | 460 |
| Kherson | 760 | 480 |
The full table of 22 regional centres is on the snow and wind by city page, with a separate page for the capital, snow and wind: Kyiv. For mountain sites the altitude factor is added to the table values.
How Solispec applies it
The Solispec engine stores S₀ and W₀ for the 22 regional centres from Annex E (2026-10-05 audit: every value matched the norm). For a point outside a regional centre it takes the nearest centre and says so in the calculation; you can replace the values with your own.
Norms and clauses
- DBN V.1.2-2:2006, cl. 8.5, 9.6, Figs 8.1, 9.1, Annex E
Related terms
- Characteristic snow load S₀The weight of snow cover per 1 m² of ground exceeded on average once in 50 years; under DBN V.1.2-2:2006 Kyiv has 1,550 Pa.
- Characteristic wind pressure W₀The mean wind pressure at 10 m height exceeded on average once in 50 years; Kyiv has 370 Pa under DBN V.1.2-2:2006.
- Altitude factor CaltThe correction for altitude: 1.4H + 0.3 for snow from 0.5 km, 2H for wind above 0.5 km, otherwise 1 (DBN V.1.2-2:2006).
- Icing: ice thickness b and wind pressure WBIce-wind load under section 10 of DBN V.1.2-2:2006; Kyiv has b = 19 mm and W_B = 160 Pa, but it is not required for ground PV.
- DBN V.1.2-2:2006 “Loads and actions”: what matters for a solar plantNorms explained
Solispec’s calculation is preliminary: for a design it has to be checked by an engineer. The values and clauses follow the current editions of the norms on the date of the page.