Atwater, California · field elev 190 ft

Density Altitude at Castle (KMER)

Castle sits at 190 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (95 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,511 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,511 ft station: MERCED · 7 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at MERCED (7 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 45.5 −649 ft 54.1 −71 ft
February 49.9 −352 ft 60.6 358 ft
March 54.4 −51 ft 66.5 742 ft
April 59.2 266 ft 73.0 1,158 ft
May 66.8 761 ft 81.9 1,719 ft
June 73.2 1,171 ft 89.3 2,176 ft
July 78.3 1,493 ft 94.8 2,511 ft
August 77.0 1,412 ft 93.8 2,451 ft
September 72.7 1,139 ft 89.3 2,176 ft
October 63.6 554 ft 78.6 1,512 ft
November 52.6 −171 ft 64.5 612 ft
December 45.5 −649 ft 54.7 −31 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 KMER

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,523 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,523 ft

Field elevation 190 ft — the air behaves like 2,523 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
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

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KMER in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 95 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Castle reaches roughly 2,511 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 KMER on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −649 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,493 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 190 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Castle?

190 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KMER (ICAO) / MER (FAA), in Atwater, California.