Buffalo, South Dakota · field elev 2,891 ft
Density Altitude at Harding County (9D2)
From a field elevation of 2,891 ft, a typical July afternoon at Harding County (86 °F) raises density altitude to about 5,267 ft — solidly into the range where performance charts deserve a close read.
Typical density altitude by month
| Month | Avg temp °F | DA at avg temp | Afternoon high °F | DA on a typical afternoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21.2 | 1,036 ft | 31.6 | 1,760 ft |
| February | 23.3 | 1,184 ft | 33.8 | 1,911 ft |
| March | 33.5 | 1,890 ft | 44.9 | 2,659 ft |
| April | 43.5 | 2,566 ft | 55.6 | 3,361 ft |
| May | 54.1 | 3,264 ft | 66.3 | 4,045 ft |
| June | 64.3 | 3,919 ft | 77.0 | 4,712 ft |
| July | 72.1 | 4,409 ft | 86.1 | 5,267 ft ▲ |
| August | 70.5 | 4,309 ft | 85.0 | 5,201 ft ▲ |
| September | 60.6 | 3,683 ft | 74.9 | 4,583 ft |
| October | 45.9 | 2,725 ft | 58.1 | 3,522 ft |
| November | 32.9 | 1,849 ft | 44.3 | 2,619 ft |
| December | 23.6 | 1,205 ft | 33.9 | 1,918 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 9D2
DENSITY ALTITUDE caution
Field elevation 2,891 ft — the air behaves like 5,261 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 2,893 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
- 6V5 — Bison Municipal
Bison · elev 2,791 ft
- KEFC — Belle Fourche Municipal
Belle Fourche · elev 3,191 ft
- KLEM — Lemmon Municipal
Lemmon · elev 2,573 ft
- KSPF — Black Hills-Clyde Ice Field
Spearfish · elev 3,933 ft
- 49B — Sturgis Municipal
Sturgis · elev 3,255 ft
- D07 — Faith Municipal
Faith · elev 2,584 ft
- 3Y7 — Isabel Municipal
Isabel · elev 2,398 ft
- KRAP — Rapid City Regional
Rapid City · elev 3,204 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at 9D2 in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 86 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Harding County reaches roughly 5,267 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 9D2 on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly 1,036 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 4,409 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 2,891 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Harding County?
2,891 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 9D2 (FAA), in Buffalo, South Dakota.