Charleston, South Carolina · field elev 46 ft
Density Altitude at Charleston AFB/International (KCHS)
Charleston AFB/International sits at 46 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (91 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,123 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 | 49.5 | −558 ft | 60.2 | 154 ft |
| February | 52.7 | −343 ft | 63.8 | 389 ft |
| March | 58.7 | 55 ft | 70.1 | 796 ft |
| April | 65.8 | 519 ft | 77.1 | 1,241 ft |
| May | 73.3 | 1,001 ft | 83.6 | 1,649 ft |
| June | 79.4 | 1,386 ft | 88.5 | 1,952 ft |
| July | 82.5 | 1,580 ft | 91.3 | 2,123 ft |
| August | 81.4 | 1,511 ft | 89.8 | 2,031 ft |
| September | 76.9 | 1,229 ft | 85.4 | 1,760 ft |
| October | 67.8 | 648 ft | 77.9 | 1,292 ft |
| November | 58.3 | 29 ft | 69.4 | 751 ft |
| December | 52.2 | −376 ft | 62.7 | 317 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 KCHS
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 46 ft — the air behaves like 2,105 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 47 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
- KJZI — Charleston Exec
Charleston · elev 19 ft
- KLRO — Mt Pleasant Regional-Faison Field
Mount Pleasant · elev 12 ft
- KDYB — Summerville
Summerville · elev 56 ft
- KMKS — Berkeley County
Moncks Corner · elev 74 ft
- 6J2 — St George
St George · elev 85 ft
- 5J5 — Holly Hill
Holly Hill · elev 96 ft
- KRBW — Lowcountry Regional
Walterboro · elev 101 ft
- KARW — Beaufort Exec
Beaufort · elev 9 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KCHS in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 91 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Charleston AFB/International reaches roughly 2,123 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 KCHS on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −558 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,580 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 46 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Charleston AFB/International?
46 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KCHS (ICAO) / CHS (FAA), in Charleston, South Carolina.