Marion, Iowa · field elev 861 ft
Density Altitude at Marion (C17)
Marion sits at 861 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (86 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,761 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 | 21.3 | −1,501 ft | 30.0 | −883 ft |
| February | 25.9 | −1,173 ft | 35.1 | −528 ft |
| March | 38.2 | −314 ft | 48.9 | 412 ft |
| April | 50.9 | 546 ft | 63.3 | 1,360 ft |
| May | 61.7 | 1,257 ft | 73.8 | 2,032 ft |
| June | 71.0 | 1,854 ft | 82.3 | 2,563 ft |
| July | 74.4 | 2,069 ft | 85.5 | 2,761 ft |
| August | 72.3 | 1,937 ft | 83.4 | 2,631 ft |
| September | 65.2 | 1,483 ft | 77.3 | 2,252 ft |
| October | 52.8 | 672 ft | 64.1 | 1,412 ft |
| November | 38.7 | −279 ft | 48.1 | 359 ft |
| December | 26.7 | −1,116 ft | 34.7 | −555 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 C17
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 861 ft — the air behaves like 2,791 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 862 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 Iowa fields
- KCID — The Eastern Iowa
Cedar Rapids · elev 869 ft
- KMXO — Monticello Regional
Monticello · elev 833 ft
- C11 — Amana
Amana · elev 712 ft
- 8C4 — Mathews Meml
Tipton · elev 840 ft
- KIOW — Iowa City Municipal
Iowa City · elev 684 ft
- KVTI — Vinton Veterans Meml Airpark
Vinton · elev 842 ft
- C27 — Manchester Municipal
Manchester · elev 987 ft
- KIIB — James H Connell Field At Independence Municipal
Independence · elev 979 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at C17 in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 86 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Marion reaches roughly 2,761 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 C17 on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,501 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,069 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 861 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Marion?
861 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is C17 (FAA), in Marion, Iowa.