Decatur, Arkansas · field elev 1,178 ft

Density Altitude at Crystal Lake (5M5)

Crystal Lake sits at 1,178 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (93 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 3,573 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈3,573 ft station: GRAVETTE · 6 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at GRAVETTE (6 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 38.7 115 ft 48.8 798 ft
February 43.2 422 ft 53.9 1,137 ft
March 52.1 1,018 ft 63.4 1,757 ft
April 60.7 1,582 ft 72.5 2,338 ft
May 68.5 2,084 ft 79.5 2,776 ft
June 76.6 2,596 ft 87.4 3,263 ft
July 80.9 2,863 ft 92.5 3,573 ft
August 80.0 2,808 ft 92.1 3,548 ft
September 72.3 2,325 ft 84.2 3,067 ft
October 61.4 1,628 ft 72.9 2,363 ft
November 50.3 899 ft 60.7 1,582 ft
December 41.5 306 ft 51.1 952 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 5M5

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 3,603 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 3,603 ft

Field elevation 1,178 ft — the air behaves like 3,603 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
1,179 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 Arkansas fields

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at 5M5 in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 93 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Crystal Lake reaches roughly 3,573 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 5M5 on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly 115 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,863 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,178 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Crystal Lake?

1,178 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 5M5 (FAA), in Decatur, Arkansas.