Sault Ste Marie, Michigan · field elev 799 ft
Density Altitude at Chippewa County International (KCIU)
Chippewa County International sits at 799 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (79 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,257 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 | 16.8 | −1,904 ft | 25.3 | −1,293 ft |
| February | 18.8 | −1,759 ft | 28.5 | −1,066 ft |
| March | 27.9 | −1,109 ft | 39.1 | −329 ft |
| April | 40.2 | −254 ft | 51.9 | 536 ft |
| May | 52.4 | 569 ft | 65.6 | 1,433 ft |
| June | 61.8 | 1,187 ft | 75.5 | 2,063 ft |
| July | 66.0 | 1,458 ft | 78.6 | 2,257 ft |
| August | 65.3 | 1,413 ft | 77.4 | 2,182 ft |
| September | 57.6 | 913 ft | 68.8 | 1,638 ft |
| October | 45.5 | 107 ft | 54.9 | 735 ft |
| November | 34.2 | −667 ft | 41.4 | −172 ft |
| December | 24.3 | −1,364 ft | 31.1 | −884 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 KCIU
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 799 ft — the air behaves like 2,282 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 800 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 Michigan fields
- 5Y1 — Albert J Lindberg
Hessel · elev 760 ft
- KANJ — Sault Ste Marie Municipal/Sanderson Field
Sault Ste Marie · elev 716 ft
- KMCD — Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island · elev 741 ft
- 83D — Mackinac County
St Ignace · elev 624 ft
- 6Y1 — Bois Blanc Island
Bois Blanc Island · elev 664 ft
- KDRM — Drummond Island
Drummond Island · elev 668 ft
- KSLH — Cheboygan County
Cheboygan · elev 640 ft
- KERY — Luce County
Newberry · elev 869 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KCIU in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 79 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Chippewa County International reaches roughly 2,257 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 KCIU on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,904 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,458 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 799 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Chippewa County International?
799 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KCIU (ICAO) / CIU (FAA), in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan.