Bowdle, South Dakota · field elev 1,963 ft

Density Altitude at Bowdle Municipal (8SD)

Bowdle Municipal sits at 1,963 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (84 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 4,017 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈4,017 ft station: SELBY · 18 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at SELBY (18 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 13.6 −671 ft 23.2 16 ft
February 17.7 −376 ft 27.7 333 ft
March 29.9 486 ft 40.5 1,214 ft
April 43.0 1,382 ft 54.9 2,172 ft
May 55.7 2,224 ft 67.3 2,971 ft
June 66.2 2,901 ft 77.5 3,611 ft
July 72.2 3,280 ft 84.1 4,017 ft
August 70.3 3,161 ft 82.8 3,938 ft
September 60.9 2,561 ft 73.7 3,374 ft
October 45.7 1,563 ft 57.5 2,341 ft
November 30.7 542 ft 40.8 1,234 ft
December 18.8 −297 ft 28.0 354 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 8SD

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 4,011 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 4,011 ft

Field elevation 1,963 ft — the air behaves like 4,011 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
1,964 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 8SD in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 84 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Bowdle Municipal reaches roughly 4,017 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 8SD on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −671 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 3,280 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,963 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Bowdle Municipal?

1,963 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 8SD (FAA), in Bowdle, South Dakota.