Muscle Shoals, Alabama · field elev 551 ft

Density Altitude at Northwest Alabama Regional (KMSL)

Northwest Alabama Regional sits at 551 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (92 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,756 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,756 ft station: MUSCLE SHOALS RGNL AP · 1 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at MUSCLE SHOALS RGNL AP (1 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 42.9 −378 ft 52.4 262 ft
February 46.7 −120 ft 56.7 547 ft
March 54.4 395 ft 65.2 1,102 ft
April 62.9 953 ft 74.4 1,690 ft
May 71.3 1,493 ft 82.1 2,172 ft
June 78.4 1,941 ft 88.9 2,591 ft
July 81.5 2,135 ft 91.6 2,756 ft
August 80.5 2,073 ft 91.2 2,732 ft
September 74.7 1,709 ft 86.1 2,420 ft
October 63.6 998 ft 75.7 1,772 ft
November 52.5 269 ft 63.8 1,011 ft
December 45.6 −194 ft 55.0 435 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 KMSL

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,780 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,780 ft

Field elevation 551 ft — the air behaves like 2,780 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
552 ft
ISA DEVIATION
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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 Alabama fields

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KMSL in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 92 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Northwest Alabama Regional reaches roughly 2,756 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 KMSL on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −378 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,135 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 551 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Northwest Alabama Regional?

551 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KMSL (ICAO) / MSL (FAA), in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.