Detroit, Michigan · field elev 645 ft
Density Altitude at Detroit Metro Wayne County (KDTW)
Detroit Metro Wayne County sits at 645 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (84 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,386 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 | 25.8 | −1,450 ft | 32.3 | −992 ft |
| February | 28.0 | −1,294 ft | 35.2 | −790 ft |
| March | 37.2 | −652 ft | 45.9 | −57 ft |
| April | 48.9 | 145 ft | 58.7 | 795 ft |
| May | 60.3 | 899 ft | 70.3 | 1,545 ft |
| June | 69.9 | 1,519 ft | 79.7 | 2,138 ft |
| July | 74.1 | 1,786 ft | 83.7 | 2,386 ft |
| August | 72.3 | 1,672 ft | 81.4 | 2,244 ft |
| September | 64.9 | 1,198 ft | 74.4 | 1,805 ft |
| October | 53.0 | 419 ft | 62.0 | 1,010 ft |
| November | 41.2 | −377 ft | 48.6 | 125 ft |
| December | 31.3 | −1,062 ft | 37.2 | −652 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 KDTW
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 645 ft — the air behaves like 2,405 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 646 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
- KYIP — Willow Run
Detroit · elev 716 ft
- 43G — Belleville
Belleville · elev 695 ft
- 1D2 — Canton-Plymouth-Mettetal
Plymouth · elev 696 ft
- KONZ — Grosse Ile Municipal
Detroit/Grosse Ile · elev 591 ft
- W87 — Buzzwick
Carleton · elev 609 ft
- KTTF — Custer
Monroe · elev 616 ft
- KARB — Ann Arbor Municipal
Ann Arbor · elev 839 ft
- KDET — Coleman A Young Municipal
Detroit · elev 624 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KDTW in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 84 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Detroit Metro Wayne County reaches roughly 2,386 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 KDTW on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,450 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,786 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 645 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Detroit Metro Wayne County?
645 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KDTW (ICAO) / DTW (FAA), in Detroit, Michigan.