Chester, South Carolina · field elev 657 ft

Density Altitude at Chester Catawba Regional (KDCM)

Chester Catawba Regional sits at 657 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (89 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,739 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,739 ft station: YORK 5 SSE · 9 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at YORK 5 SSE (9 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 40.3 −423 ft 51.1 307 ft
February 43.6 −198 ft 54.9 559 ft
March 50.0 233 ft 63.3 1,109 ft
April 59.4 855 ft 71.9 1,661 ft
May 67.5 1,380 ft 79.2 2,121 ft
June 75.2 1,870 ft 86.0 2,543 ft
July 79.0 2,109 ft 89.2 2,739 ft
August 77.5 2,015 ft 87.7 2,647 ft
September 71.7 1,649 ft 82.1 2,302 ft
October 60.2 908 ft 71.7 1,649 ft
November 49.3 187 ft 61.2 973 ft
December 43.0 −239 ft 53.8 487 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 KDCM

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,726 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,726 ft

Field elevation 657 ft — the air behaves like 2,726 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
658 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

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KDCM in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 89 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Chester Catawba Regional reaches roughly 2,739 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 KDCM on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −423 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,109 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 657 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Chester Catawba Regional?

657 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KDCM (ICAO) / DCM (FAA), in Chester, South Carolina.