Madison, Wisconsin · field elev 887 ft
Density Altitude at Dane County Regional/Truax Field (KMSN)
Dane County Regional/Truax Field sits at 887 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (82 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,582 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 | 19.4 | −1,605 ft | 27.0 | −1,062 ft |
| February | 23.0 | −1,346 ft | 31.2 | −767 ft |
| March | 34.4 | −544 ft | 43.6 | 87 ft |
| April | 46.3 | 270 ft | 56.9 | 975 ft |
| May | 58.1 | 1,054 ft | 69.0 | 1,759 ft |
| June | 68.0 | 1,695 ft | 78.6 | 2,365 ft |
| July | 71.9 | 1,943 ft | 82.1 | 2,582 ft |
| August | 69.7 | 1,803 ft | 79.9 | 2,446 ft |
| September | 62.0 | 1,308 ft | 72.9 | 2,007 ft |
| October | 49.7 | 498 ft | 59.6 | 1,152 ft |
| November | 36.7 | −385 ft | 44.8 | 169 ft |
| December | 25.3 | −1,183 ft | 32.3 | −690 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 KMSN
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 887 ft — the air behaves like 2,576 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 888 ft
- ISA DEVIATION
- —
- RULE-OF-THUMB DA
- —
- AIR DENSITY INDEX
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- 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 Wisconsin fields
- 6P3 — Waunakee
Waunakee · elev 954 ft
- 87Y — Blackhawk Airfield
Madison · elev 920 ft
- C29 — Middleton Municipal/Morey Field
Middleton · elev 928 ft
- 94C — Gilbert Field
Rio · elev 927 ft
- 58C — Jana
Edgerton · elev 843 ft
- 91C — Sauk/Prairie
Prairie Du Sac · elev 832 ft
- 61C — Fort Atkinson Municipal
Fort Atkinson · elev 800 ft
- 54W — Albany
Albany · elev 820 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KMSN in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 82 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Dane County Regional/Truax Field reaches roughly 2,582 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 KMSN on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,605 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,943 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 887 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Dane County Regional/Truax Field?
887 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KMSN (ICAO) / MSN (FAA), in Madison, Wisconsin.