Howard, South Dakota · field elev 1,586 ft
Density Altitude at Howard Municipal (8D9)
Howard Municipal sits at 1,586 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (87 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 3,753 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 | 16.8 | −914 ft | 29.1 | −40 ft |
| February | 21.5 | −577 ft | 34.1 | 307 ft |
| March | 33.8 | 286 ft | 46.8 | 1,170 ft |
| April | 46.4 | 1,143 ft | 61.0 | 2,104 ft |
| May | 58.7 | 1,955 ft | 72.5 | 2,838 ft |
| June | 69.1 | 2,623 ft | 82.3 | 3,448 ft |
| July | 73.7 | 2,913 ft | 87.3 | 3,753 ft |
| August | 71.3 | 2,762 ft | 84.9 | 3,607 ft |
| September | 62.9 | 2,227 ft | 77.4 | 3,144 ft |
| October | 48.8 | 1,304 ft | 62.6 | 2,207 ft |
| November | 34.1 | 307 ft | 46.9 | 1,177 ft |
| December | 21.6 | −570 ft | 33.1 | 238 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 8D9
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 1,586 ft — the air behaves like 3,735 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 1,587 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
- KMDS — Madison Municipal
Madison · elev 1,718 ft
- 6E5 — Wilder
Desmet · elev 1,730 ft
- KMHE — Mitchell Municipal
Mitchell · elev 1,304 ft
- 3A9 — Arlington Municipal
Arlington · elev 1,818 ft
- KBKX — Brookings Regional
Brookings · elev 1,648 ft
- KHON — Huron Regional
Huron · elev 1,289 ft
- 4P3 — Flandreau Municipal
Flandreau · elev 1,645 ft
- 4X4 — Wessington Springs
Wessington Springs · elev 1,545 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at 8D9 in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 87 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Howard Municipal reaches roughly 3,753 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 8D9 on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −914 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,913 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,586 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Howard Municipal?
1,586 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 8D9 (FAA), in Howard, South Dakota.