Caldwell, New Jersey · field elev 172 ft
Density Altitude at Essex County (KCDW)
Essex County sits at 172 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (85 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,902 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 | 30.6 | −1,703 ft | 38.3 | −1,165 ft |
| February | 32.6 | −1,562 ft | 41.4 | −952 ft |
| March | 40.4 | −1,020 ft | 49.4 | −408 ft |
| April | 51.4 | −274 ft | 61.9 | 421 ft |
| May | 61.5 | 394 ft | 72.1 | 1,079 ft |
| June | 70.4 | 970 ft | 80.5 | 1,609 ft |
| July | 75.6 | 1,301 ft | 85.2 | 1,902 ft |
| August | 73.9 | 1,193 ft | 83.6 | 1,802 ft |
| September | 66.3 | 706 ft | 76.0 | 1,326 ft |
| October | 54.7 | −54 ft | 64.5 | 590 ft |
| November | 44.4 | −747 ft | 53.4 | −140 ft |
| December | 35.4 | −1,366 ft | 43.0 | −842 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 KCDW
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 172 ft — the air behaves like 1,889 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 173 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 New Jersey fields
- N07 — Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park · elev 181 ft
- KMMU — Morristown Municipal
Morristown · elev 187 ft
- KTEB — Teterboro
Teterboro · elev 8 ft
- KEWR — Newark Liberty International
Newark · elev 18 ft
- 4N1 — Greenwood Lake
West Milford · elev 790 ft
- KLDJ — Linden
Linden · elev 22 ft
- 12N — Aeroflex/Andover
Andover · elev 583 ft
- KSMQ — Somerset
Somerville · elev 106 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KCDW in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 85 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Essex County reaches roughly 1,902 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 KCDW on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,703 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,301 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 172 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Essex County?
172 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KCDW (ICAO) / CDW (FAA), in Caldwell, New Jersey.