Hickory, North Carolina · field elev 1,190 ft
Density Altitude at Hickory Regional (KHKY)
Hickory Regional sits at 1,190 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (87 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 3,278 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 | 39.7 | 199 ft | 49.1 | 833 ft |
| February | 43.0 | 423 ft | 53.2 | 1,106 ft |
| March | 50.1 | 900 ft | 60.7 | 1,597 ft |
| April | 58.8 | 1,473 ft | 70.0 | 2,194 ft |
| May | 66.8 | 1,990 ft | 77.4 | 2,660 ft |
| June | 74.3 | 2,466 ft | 84.3 | 3,088 ft |
| July | 77.7 | 2,679 ft | 87.4 | 3,278 ft |
| August | 76.4 | 2,598 ft | 85.7 | 3,174 ft |
| September | 70.4 | 2,220 ft | 79.8 | 2,810 ft |
| October | 59.6 | 1,526 ft | 70.2 | 2,207 ft |
| November | 49.3 | 847 ft | 59.9 | 1,545 ft |
| December | 42.2 | 369 ft | 51.5 | 993 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 KHKY
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 1,190 ft — the air behaves like 3,253 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 1,191 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 North Carolina fields
- E40 — Wilson'S
Hickory · elev 985 ft
- KMRN — Foothills Regional
Morganton · elev 1,270 ft
- NC2 — Taylorsville
Taylorsville · elev 1,090 ft
- N92 — Laneys
Maiden · elev 1,025 ft
- KIPJ — Lincoln County Regional
Lincolnton · elev 878 ft
- KSVH — Statesville Regional
Statesville · elev 968 ft
- 14A — Lake Norman Airpark
Mooresville · elev 839 ft
- 9A9 — Shiflet Field
Marion · elev 1,212 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KHKY in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 87 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Hickory Regional reaches roughly 3,278 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 KHKY on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly 199 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,679 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,190 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Hickory Regional?
1,190 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KHKY (ICAO) / HKY (FAA), in Hickory, North Carolina.