Urbana, Illinois · field elev 735 ft

Density Altitude at Frasca Field (C16)

Frasca Field sits at 735 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (85 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,588 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,588 ft station: CHAMPAIGN 3S · 5 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at CHAMPAIGN 3S (5 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 25.7 −1,345 ft 33.5 −796 ft
February 29.8 −1,055 ft 38.4 −457 ft
March 40.8 −292 ft 50.4 357 ft
April 52.4 490 ft 63.1 1,192 ft
May 63.2 1,199 ft 73.8 1,877 ft
June 72.4 1,789 ft 82.7 2,434 ft
July 75.2 1,966 ft 85.2 2,588 ft
August 73.8 1,877 ft 84.0 2,514 ft
September 67.2 1,457 ft 78.8 2,191 ft
October 54.8 649 ft 65.8 1,367 ft
November 41.4 −251 ft 50.7 377 ft
December 31.1 −964 ft 38.5 −450 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 C16

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,576 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,576 ft

Field elevation 735 ft — the air behaves like 2,576 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
736 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

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at C16 in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 85 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Frasca Field reaches roughly 2,588 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 C16 on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,345 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,966 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 735 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Frasca Field?

735 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is C16 (FAA), in Urbana, Illinois.