Sterling, Massachusetts · field elev 459 ft
Density Altitude at Sterling (3B3)
Sterling sits at 459 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (83 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,141 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.
Typical density altitude by month
| Month | Avg temp °F | DA at avg temp | Afternoon high °F | DA on a typical afternoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24.9 | −1,748 ft | 34.2 | −1,092 ft |
| February | 27.1 | −1,591 ft | 37.3 | −877 ft |
| March | 35.3 | −1,015 ft | 45.4 | −322 ft |
| April | 46.9 | −221 ft | 58.4 | 545 ft |
| May | 57.8 | 506 ft | 69.5 | 1,265 ft |
| June | 67.0 | 1,105 ft | 78.0 | 1,804 ft |
| July | 72.4 | 1,450 ft | 83.4 | 2,141 ft |
| August | 70.7 | 1,342 ft | 81.7 | 2,035 ft |
| September | 62.8 | 833 ft | 74.2 | 1,564 ft |
| October | 50.7 | 35 ft | 61.8 | 768 ft |
| November | 40.2 | −677 ft | 50.1 | −5 ft |
| December | 30.8 | −1,330 ft | 39.7 | −711 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 3B3
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 459 ft — the air behaves like 2,116 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 460 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 Massachusetts fields
- KFIT — Fitchburg Municipal
Fitchburg · elev 345 ft
- KORH — Worcester Regional
Worcester · elev 1,009 ft
- 60M — Spencer
Spencer · elev 1,043 ft
- 6B6 — Minute Man Air Field
Stow · elev 280 ft
- KGDM — Gardner Municipal
Gardner · elev 954 ft
- 3B0 — Southbridge Municipal
Southbridge · elev 699 ft
- KBED — Laurence G Hanscom Field
Bedford · elev 132 ft
- 1B6 — Hopedale Industrial Park
Hopedale · elev 269 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at 3B3 in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 83 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Sterling reaches roughly 2,141 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 3B3 on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,748 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,450 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 459 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Sterling?
459 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 3B3 (FAA), in Sterling, Massachusetts.