Columbia, South Carolina · field elev 236 ft
Density Altitude at Columbia Metro (KCAE)
Columbia Metro sits at 236 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (93 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,440 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 | 45.7 | −579 ft | 56.8 | 165 ft |
| February | 49.1 | −349 ft | 60.8 | 428 ft |
| March | 55.9 | 105 ft | 68.3 | 914 ft |
| April | 64.1 | 643 ft | 76.7 | 1,449 ft |
| May | 72.2 | 1,164 ft | 83.8 | 1,893 ft |
| June | 79.1 | 1,600 ft | 89.7 | 2,257 ft |
| July | 82.4 | 1,806 ft | 92.7 | 2,440 ft |
| August | 81.0 | 1,719 ft | 90.8 | 2,324 ft |
| September | 75.5 | 1,373 ft | 85.7 | 2,011 ft |
| October | 64.6 | 675 ft | 76.5 | 1,436 ft |
| November | 54.0 | −21 ft | 66.4 | 792 ft |
| December | 47.7 | −443 ft | 58.9 | 303 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 KCAE
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 236 ft — the air behaves like 2,458 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 237 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 Carolina fields
- KCUB — Jim Hamilton L B Owens
Columbia · elev 193 ft
- 6J0 — Lexington County
Pelion · elev 452 ft
- KFDW — Fairfield County
Winnsboro · elev 578 ft
- KOGB — Orangeburg Municipal
Orangeburg · elev 195 ft
- KAIK — Aiken Regional
Aiken · elev 529 ft
- 6J4 — Saluda County
Saluda · elev 539 ft
- KEOE — Newberry County
Newberry · elev 570 ft
- KCDN — Woodward Field
Camden · elev 303 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KCAE in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 93 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Columbia Metro reaches roughly 2,440 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 KCAE on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −579 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,806 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 236 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Columbia Metro?
236 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KCAE (ICAO) / CAE (FAA), in Columbia, South Carolina.