Tatum, New Mexico · field elev 3,986 ft
Density Altitude at Tatum (18T)
From a field elevation of 3,986 ft, a typical July afternoon at Tatum (93 °F) raises density altitude to about 6,976 ft — solidly into the range where performance charts deserve a close read.
Typical density altitude by month
| Month | Avg temp °F | DA at avg temp | Afternoon high °F | DA on a typical afternoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39.0 | 3,621 ft | 54.7 | 4,650 ft |
| February | 43.1 | 3,894 ft | 59.5 | 4,957 ft |
| March | 49.8 | 4,333 ft | 66.9 | 5,423 ft ▲ |
| April | 57.5 | 4,829 ft | 75.2 | 5,936 ft ▲ |
| May | 66.9 | 5,423 ft | 83.5 | 6,440 ft ▲ |
| June | 76.0 | 5,985 ft | 92.2 | 6,958 ft ▲ |
| July | 78.1 | 6,113 ft | 92.5 | 6,976 ft ▲ |
| August | 77.0 | 6,046 ft | 91.7 | 6,928 ft ▲ |
| September | 69.7 | 5,597 ft | 84.4 | 6,494 ft ▲ |
| October | 59.4 | 4,950 ft | 75.5 | 5,955 ft ▲ |
| November | 47.3 | 4,170 ft | 63.4 | 5,204 ft ▲ |
| December | 39.7 | 3,668 ft | 55.0 | 4,669 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 18T
DENSITY ALTITUDE caution
Field elevation 3,986 ft — the air behaves like 7,005 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 3,988 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
Nearby New Mexico fields
- E06 — Lea County/Zip Franklin Meml
Lovington · elev 3,979 ft
- KHOB — Lea County Regional
Hobbs · elev 3,661 ft
- KPRZ — Portales Municipal
Portales · elev 4,078 ft
- KROW — Roswell Air Center
Roswell · elev 3,671 ft
- KATS — Artesia Municipal
Artesia · elev 3,545 ft
- E26 — Lea County/Jal
Jal · elev 3,118 ft
- KCVN — Clovis Regional
Clovis · elev 4,216 ft
- KCNM — Cavern City Air Trml
Carlsbad · elev 3,295 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at 18T in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 93 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Tatum reaches roughly 6,976 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 18T on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly 3,621 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 6,113 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 3,986 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Tatum?
3,986 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 18T (FAA), in Tatum, New Mexico.