Hatteras, North Carolina · field elev 16 ft

Density Altitude at Billy Mitchell (KHSE)

Billy Mitchell sits at 16 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (87 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,841 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈1,841 ft station: CAPE HATTERAS AP · 0 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at CAPE HATTERAS 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 48.0 −696 ft 55.4 −200 ft
February 49.1 −622 ft 56.7 −114 ft
March 53.8 −307 ft 61.4 196 ft
April 61.8 222 ft 69.4 714 ft
May 69.7 734 ft 76.7 1,179 ft
June 77.5 1,230 ft 84.0 1,637 ft
July 81.3 1,469 ft 87.3 1,841 ft
August 80.7 1,431 ft 87.0 1,823 ft
September 76.9 1,192 ft 83.0 1,575 ft
October 68.2 637 ft 75.0 1,072 ft
November 58.7 18 ft 65.8 482 ft
December 52.1 −420 ft 59.3 58 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 KHSE

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 1,823 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 1,823 ft

Field elevation 16 ft — the air behaves like 1,823 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
17 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

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KHSE in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 87 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Billy Mitchell reaches roughly 1,841 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 KHSE on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −696 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,469 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 16 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Billy Mitchell?

16 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KHSE (ICAO) / HSE (FAA), in Hatteras, North Carolina.