Oakland, California · field elev 9 ft

Density Altitude at Oakland San Francisco Bay (KOAK)

Oakland San Francisco Bay sits at 9 ft, and even a typical September afternoon (74 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,006 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: September · ≈1,006 ft station: OAKLAND METRO INTL AP · 0 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at OAKLAND METRO INTL 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 49.9 −577 ft 57.7 −56 ft
February 52.5 −402 ft 60.3 115 ft
March 55.1 −229 ft 63.1 298 ft
April 57.4 −76 ft 65.6 461 ft
May 59.9 89 ft 67.9 609 ft
June 62.7 272 ft 71.4 834 ft
July 63.9 350 ft 71.6 847 ft
August 64.6 396 ft 72.4 898 ft
September 64.8 409 ft 74.1 1,006 ft
October 61.4 187 ft 71.5 840 ft
November 54.8 −249 ft 63.9 350 ft
December 50.1 −563 ft 57.9 −43 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 KOAK

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

DENSITY ALTITUDE 1,000 ft

Field elevation 9 ft — the air behaves like 1,000 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
10 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

Nearby California fields

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KOAK in summer?

On a typical September afternoon — around 74 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Oakland San Francisco Bay reaches roughly 1,006 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 KOAK on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −577 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 409 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 9 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Oakland San Francisco Bay?

9 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KOAK (ICAO) / OAK (FAA), in Oakland, California.