Washington, District of Columbia · field elev 14 ft

Density Altitude at Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl (KDCA)

Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl sits at 14 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (90 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,980 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈1,980 ft station: WASHINGTON REAGAN AP · 0 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at WASHINGTON REAGAN 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 37.5 −1,418 ft 44.8 −916 ft
February 40.0 −1,245 ft 48.3 −678 ft
March 47.6 −726 ft 56.5 −130 ft
April 58.2 −17 ft 68.0 622 ft
May 67.2 570 ft 76.5 1,164 ft
June 76.3 1,152 ft 85.1 1,703 ft
July 81.0 1,447 ft 89.6 1,980 ft
August 79.4 1,347 ft 87.8 1,869 ft
September 72.4 904 ft 80.7 1,429 ft
October 60.8 154 ft 69.4 712 ft
November 49.9 −570 ft 58.2 −17 ft
December 41.7 −1,128 ft 48.8 −644 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 KDCA

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,005 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,005 ft

Field elevation 14 ft — the air behaves like 2,005 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
15 ft
ISA DEVIATION
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RULE-OF-THUMB DA
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AIR DENSITY INDEX
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AIR DENSITY
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WATER · GRAINS/LB
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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 District of Columbia fields

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KDCA in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 90 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl reaches roughly 1,980 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 KDCA on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,418 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,447 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 14 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl?

14 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KDCA (ICAO) / DCA (FAA), in Washington, District of Columbia.