The wind pressure distribution of cooling towers with different rough strip parameters was tested, and the influence of roughness on both mean and fluctuating wind pressure was investigated. The experiment results show that the width of rough strip has little effect on the distribution of wind pressure, while the height and number have a greater impact, and the roughness coefficient k/s can describe the size of roughness accurately. Even though the number n and height k of rough strip is different, as long as the roughness coefficient k/s is consistent, the mean pressure distribution is basically the same, but the peak fluctuating pressure is smaller with higher height of rough strip. Furthermore, roughness has little effect on both the distribution of positive pressure and the size of back pressure. However, the amplitude of the smallest negative pressure coefficient and the peak fluctuating pressure decrease with the increase of roughness, while the width of back pressure expands slightly. Although the mean pressure at high Reynolds number can be simulated effectively at low Reynolds number by increasing surface roughness, the simulation accuracy of fluctuating pressure should be checked with field tests in the future.