Columbia, Missouri · field elev 889 ft

Density Altitude at Columbia Regional (KCOU)

Columbia Regional sits at 889 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (89 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,978 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,978 ft station: COLUMBIA RGNL AP · 0 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at COLUMBIA RGNL AP (0 mi from the field) · standard pressure, dry air
Month Avg temp °F DA at avg temp Afternoon high °F DA on a typical afternoon
January 31.0 −778 ft 39.5 −190 ft
February 35.7 −451 ft 45.1 192 ft
March 46.0 252 ft 56.3 938 ft
April 56.4 945 ft 67.2 1,646 ft
May 65.8 1,556 ft 75.9 2,198 ft
June 74.6 2,116 ft 84.5 2,733 ft
July 78.5 2,361 ft 88.5 2,978 ft
August 77.2 2,280 ft 87.7 2,930 ft
September 69.2 1,774 ft 80.1 2,461 ft
October 57.5 1,017 ft 68.2 1,710 ft
November 45.3 205 ft 54.7 833 ft
December 35.2 −486 ft 43.6 90 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 KCOU

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 3,009 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 3,009 ft

Field elevation 889 ft — the air behaves like 3,009 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
890 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 Missouri fields

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KCOU in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 89 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Columbia Regional reaches roughly 2,978 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 KCOU on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −778 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,361 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 889 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Columbia Regional?

889 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KCOU (ICAO) / COU (FAA), in Columbia, Missouri.