Starbuck, Washington · field elev 681 ft

Density Altitude at Little Goose Lock And Dam (16W)

Little Goose Lock And Dam sits at 681 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (90 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,817 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,817 ft station: LACROSSE · 17 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at LACROSSE (17 mi from the field) · standard pressure, dry air
Month Avg temp °F DA at avg temp Afternoon high °F DA on a typical afternoon
January 32.3 −947 ft 38.8 −497 ft
February 35.8 −704 ft 44.8 −87 ft
March 42.3 −257 ft 53.7 510 ft
April 48.7 176 ft 61.9 1,048 ft
May 56.7 708 ft 71.5 1,665 ft
June 63.6 1,158 ft 79.4 2,163 ft
July 71.3 1,653 ft 90.0 2,817 ft
August 70.3 1,589 ft 88.8 2,743 ft
September 61.2 1,002 ft 78.5 2,107 ft
October 49.3 216 ft 62.7 1,100 ft
November 38.6 −510 ft 47.3 82 ft
December 31.2 −1,024 ft 37.9 −559 ft

▲ above 5,000 ft · ⚠ above 8,000 ft. These are planning references at standard pressure and dry air — afternoon humidity and low pressure both push the real number higher. Run today's values below.

Run today’s numbers for 16W

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,817 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,817 ft

Field elevation 681 ft — the air behaves like 2,817 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
682 ft
ISA DEVIATION
RULE-OF-THUMB DA
AIR DENSITY INDEX
AIR DENSITY
WATER · GRAINS/LB

For training and reference · verify with official sources and your POH before flight · no tool on this site renders a go / no-go judgment

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at 16W in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 90 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Little Goose Lock And Dam reaches roughly 2,817 ft at standard pressure. Hotter-than-normal days, low pressure, and humidity all push it higher, so run the day's actual numbers before flying.

What is the density altitude at 16W on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,024 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,653 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 681 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Little Goose Lock And Dam?

681 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 16W (FAA), in Starbuck, Washington.