Desmet, South Dakota · field elev 1,730 ft

Density Altitude at Wilder (6E5)

Wilder sits at 1,730 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (82 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 3,574 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈3,574 ft station: DE SMET · 4 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at DE SMET (4 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 14.1 −928 ft 23.2 −276 ft
February 18.9 −582 ft 28.5 98 ft
March 30.7 251 ft 40.6 931 ft
April 44.1 1,167 ft 55.0 1,891 ft
May 56.3 1,976 ft 67.1 2,672 ft
June 66.5 2,634 ft 76.9 3,289 ft
July 71.2 2,932 ft 81.5 3,574 ft
August 69.0 2,793 ft 79.1 3,426 ft
September 60.9 2,275 ft 71.6 2,957 ft
October 46.4 1,322 ft 56.9 2,015 ft
November 31.4 300 ft 40.7 938 ft
December 19.0 −575 ft 27.7 42 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 6E5

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 3,605 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 3,605 ft

Field elevation 1,730 ft — the air behaves like 3,605 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
1,731 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 South Dakota fields

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at 6E5 in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 82 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Wilder reaches roughly 3,574 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 6E5 on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −928 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,932 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,730 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Wilder?

1,730 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 6E5 (FAA), in Desmet, South Dakota.