Carlsbad, California · field elev 331 ft
Density Altitude at Mc Clellan-Palomar (KCRQ)
Mc Clellan-Palomar sits at 331 ft, and even a typical August afternoon (76 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,509 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 | 56.4 | 256 ft | 65.0 | 818 ft |
| February | 56.3 | 249 ft | 64.0 | 753 ft |
| March | 57.6 | 335 ft | 64.5 | 786 ft |
| April | 59.8 | 479 ft | 66.3 | 902 ft |
| May | 62.5 | 656 ft | 67.6 | 986 ft |
| June | 65.1 | 825 ft | 69.9 | 1,134 ft |
| July | 69.2 | 1,089 ft | 74.2 | 1,407 ft |
| August | 70.5 | 1,172 ft | 75.8 | 1,509 ft |
| September | 69.6 | 1,114 ft | 75.7 | 1,502 ft |
| October | 66.1 | 889 ft | 73.3 | 1,350 ft |
| November | 60.8 | 545 ft | 69.5 | 1,108 ft |
| December | 56.0 | 229 ft | 64.6 | 792 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 KCRQ
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 331 ft — the air behaves like 1,521 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 332 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 California fields
- KOKB — Bob Maxwell Meml Airfield
Oceanside · elev 28 ft
- L18 — Fallbrook Community Airpark
Fallbrook · elev 711 ft
- KRNM — Ramona
Ramona · elev 1,395 ft
- KMYF — Montgomery-Gibbs Exec
San Diego · elev 427 ft
- KSEE — Gillespie Field
San Diego/El Cajon · elev 388 ft
- KSAN — San Diego International
San Diego · elev 17 ft
- F70 — French Valley
Murrieta/Temecula · elev 1,350 ft
- KSDM — Brown Field Municipal
San Diego · elev 526 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KCRQ in summer?
On a typical August afternoon — around 76 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Mc Clellan-Palomar reaches roughly 1,509 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 KCRQ on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly 229 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,172 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 331 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Mc Clellan-Palomar?
331 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KCRQ (ICAO) / CRQ (FAA), in Carlsbad, California.