Merced, California · field elev 155 ft

Density Altitude at Merced Yosemite Regional (KMCE)

Merced Yosemite Regional sits at 155 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (96 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,559 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,559 ft station: MERCED MUNI AP · 0 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at MERCED MUNI 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 46.3 −639 ft 55.6 −15 ft
February 50.5 −355 ft 62.0 406 ft
March 55.2 −41 ft 68.1 802 ft
April 59.7 256 ft 74.0 1,179 ft
May 67.4 757 ft 82.7 1,726 ft
June 74.2 1,192 ft 90.7 2,219 ft
July 79.0 1,494 ft 96.3 2,559 ft
August 77.9 1,425 ft 95.1 2,487 ft
September 73.5 1,147 ft 90.5 2,207 ft
October 64.3 556 ft 79.6 1,532 ft
November 53.5 −155 ft 66.1 673 ft
December 46.0 −659 ft 56.0 12 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 KMCE

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,541 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,541 ft

Field elevation 155 ft — the air behaves like 2,541 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
156 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 KMCE in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 96 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Merced Yosemite Regional reaches roughly 2,559 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 KMCE on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −659 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,494 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 155 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Merced Yosemite Regional?

155 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KMCE (ICAO) / MCE (FAA), in Merced, California.