Madison, South Dakota · field elev 1,718 ft
Density Altitude at Madison Municipal (KMDS)
Madison Municipal sits at 1,718 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (83 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 3,670 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 | 14.4 | −922 ft | 23.7 | −255 ft |
| February | 19.0 | −590 ft | 28.5 | 83 ft |
| March | 31.4 | 285 ft | 41.2 | 957 ft |
| April | 44.5 | 1,179 ft | 55.6 | 1,915 ft |
| May | 57.0 | 2,007 ft | 68.1 | 2,721 ft |
| June | 67.4 | 2,677 ft | 78.2 | 3,355 ft |
| July | 72.1 | 2,974 ft | 83.3 | 3,670 ft |
| August | 69.7 | 2,823 ft | 80.9 | 3,522 ft |
| September | 61.4 | 2,292 ft | 73.1 | 3,037 ft |
| October | 47.2 | 1,360 ft | 58.7 | 2,118 ft |
| November | 32.4 | 354 ft | 42.2 | 1,024 ft |
| December | 19.9 | −526 ft | 28.7 | 97 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 KMDS
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 1,718 ft — the air behaves like 3,651 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 1,719 ft
- ISA DEVIATION
- —
- RULE-OF-THUMB DA
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- AIR DENSITY INDEX
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- AIR DENSITY
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- WATER · GRAINS/LB
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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 South Dakota fields
- 8D9 — Howard Municipal
Howard · elev 1,586 ft
- KBKX — Brookings Regional
Brookings · elev 1,648 ft
- 4P3 — Flandreau Municipal
Flandreau · elev 1,645 ft
- 3A9 — Arlington Municipal
Arlington · elev 1,818 ft
- KFSD — Joe Foss Field
Sioux Falls · elev 1,430 ft
- 6E5 — Wilder
Desmet · elev 1,730 ft
- Y14 — Marv Skie-Lincoln County
Tea · elev 1,511 ft
- KMHE — Mitchell Municipal
Mitchell · elev 1,304 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KMDS in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 83 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Madison Municipal reaches roughly 3,670 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 KMDS on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −922 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,974 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,718 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Madison Municipal?
1,718 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KMDS (ICAO) / MDS (FAA), in Madison, South Dakota.