Ames, Iowa · field elev 956 ft
Density Altitude at Ames Municipal (KAMW)
Ames Municipal sits at 956 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (84 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,778 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 | 19.8 | −1,489 ft | 28.7 | −856 ft |
| February | 24.4 | −1,160 ft | 33.4 | −527 ft |
| March | 37.0 | −278 ft | 47.1 | 409 ft |
| April | 49.4 | 564 ft | 60.9 | 1,322 ft |
| May | 60.7 | 1,309 ft | 71.8 | 2,022 ft |
| June | 70.6 | 1,945 ft | 81.3 | 2,617 ft |
| July | 73.3 | 2,116 ft | 83.9 | 2,778 ft |
| August | 71.0 | 1,971 ft | 81.8 | 2,648 ft |
| September | 63.4 | 1,484 ft | 75.9 | 2,280 ft |
| October | 50.9 | 664 ft | 62.6 | 1,432 ft |
| November | 36.9 | −285 ft | 46.9 | 396 ft |
| December | 25.2 | −1,103 ft | 33.9 | −492 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 KAMW
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 956 ft — the air behaves like 2,784 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 957 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
- KBNW — Boone Municipal
Boone · elev 1,160 ft
- KIKV — Ankeny Regional
Ankeny · elev 910 ft
- 2Y1 — Drake
Radcliffe · elev 1,179 ft
- KPRO — Perry Municipal
Perry · elev 1,013 ft
- KDSM — Des Moines International
Des Moines · elev 958 ft
- KEBS — Webster City Municipal
Webster City · elev 1,122 ft
- 27P — Eldora
Eldora · elev 975 ft
- KEFW — Jefferson Municipal
Jefferson · elev 1,047 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KAMW in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 84 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Ames Municipal reaches roughly 2,778 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 KAMW on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,489 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,116 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 956 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Ames Municipal?
956 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KAMW (ICAO) / AMW (FAA), in Ames, Iowa.