Marion, North Carolina · field elev 1,212 ft

Density Altitude at Shiflet Field (9A9)

Shiflet Field sits at 1,212 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (85 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 3,176 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈3,176 ft station: MARION · 2 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at MARION (2 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 38.6 151 ft 48.9 847 ft
February 42.1 389 ft 52.9 1,113 ft
March 49.0 854 ft 60.5 1,611 ft
April 57.9 1,442 ft 69.8 2,209 ft
May 65.4 1,928 ft 76.2 2,612 ft
June 72.7 2,392 ft 82.2 2,985 ft
July 76.0 2,600 ft 85.3 3,176 ft
August 75.0 2,537 ft 84.1 3,102 ft
September 69.5 2,189 ft 79.1 2,793 ft
October 58.7 1,494 ft 69.8 2,209 ft
November 49.0 854 ft 60.1 1,585 ft
December 41.2 328 ft 51.4 1,014 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 9A9

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 3,158 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 3,158 ft

Field elevation 1,212 ft — the air behaves like 3,158 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
1,213 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 North Carolina fields

All North Carolina airports →

Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at 9A9 in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 85 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Shiflet Field reaches roughly 3,176 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 9A9 on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly 151 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,600 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,212 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Shiflet Field?

1,212 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 9A9 (FAA), in Marion, North Carolina.