Stanwood, Michigan · field elev 897 ft

Density Altitude at Cain Field (38C)

Cain Field sits at 897 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (81 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,545 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,545 ft station: BIG RAPIDS WTP · 8 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at BIG RAPIDS WTP (8 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 20.4 −1,520 ft 28.2 −965 ft
February 21.8 −1,420 ft 31.4 −740 ft
March 30.9 −775 ft 42.0 −9 ft
April 42.9 52 ft 54.8 849 ft
May 55.4 889 ft 67.6 1,682 ft
June 65.1 1,521 ft 77.2 2,290 ft
July 69.2 1,784 ft 81.3 2,545 ft
August 67.0 1,643 ft 79.0 2,402 ft
September 59.3 1,145 ft 71.6 1,937 ft
October 47.2 343 ft 58.1 1,066 ft
November 35.8 −434 ft 44.1 134 ft
December 26.3 −1,099 ft 33.2 −615 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 38C

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,526 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,526 ft

Field elevation 897 ft — the air behaves like 2,526 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
898 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 38C in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 81 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Cain Field reaches roughly 2,545 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 38C on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,520 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,784 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 897 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Cain Field?

897 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 38C (FAA), in Stanwood, Michigan.