El Monte, California · field elev 296 ft

Density Altitude at San Gabriel Valley (KEMT)

San Gabriel Valley sits at 296 ft, and even a typical August afternoon (88 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,201 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: August · ≈2,201 ft station: SAN GABRIEL FIRE DEPT · 4 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at SAN GABRIEL FIRE DEPT (4 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 57.4 278 ft 68.6 1,007 ft
February 57.7 298 ft 68.2 981 ft
March 60.7 495 ft 70.9 1,154 ft
April 63.2 658 ft 73.8 1,339 ft
May 66.6 878 ft 75.6 1,453 ft
June 71.2 1,174 ft 80.8 1,780 ft
July 75.4 1,440 ft 85.5 2,072 ft
August 76.6 1,516 ft 87.6 2,201 ft
September 75.1 1,421 ft 86.7 2,146 ft
October 69.0 1,033 ft 80.7 1,773 ft
November 62.3 600 ft 74.0 1,352 ft
December 56.6 226 ft 67.8 956 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 KEMT

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,225 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,225 ft

Field elevation 296 ft — the air behaves like 2,225 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
297 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

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KEMT in summer?

On a typical August afternoon — around 88 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at San Gabriel Valley reaches roughly 2,201 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 KEMT on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly 226 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,516 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 296 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of San Gabriel Valley?

296 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KEMT (ICAO) / EMT (FAA), in El Monte, California.