Palo Alto, California · field elev 7 ft
Density Altitude at Palo Alto (KPAO)
Palo Alto sits at 7 ft, and even a typical September afternoon (80 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,351 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 | 48.4 | −680 ft | 57.8 | −52 ft |
| February | 51.0 | −505 ft | 60.7 | 139 ft |
| March | 54.6 | −264 ft | 65.5 | 452 ft |
| April | 57.4 | −79 ft | 69.6 | 716 ft |
| May | 61.4 | 184 ft | 73.3 | 953 ft |
| June | 65.6 | 458 ft | 78.5 | 1,282 ft |
| July | 67.6 | 587 ft | 79.4 | 1,338 ft |
| August | 67.0 | 549 ft | 78.7 | 1,294 ft |
| September | 66.3 | 503 ft | 79.6 | 1,351 ft |
| October | 61.2 | 171 ft | 74.0 | 997 ft |
| November | 53.1 | −364 ft | 63.7 | 335 ft |
| December | 48.1 | −700 ft | 57.6 | −66 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 KPAO
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 7 ft — the air behaves like 1,376 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 8 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
- KSQL — San Carlos
San Carlos · elev 6 ft
- KSJC — Norman Y Mineta San Jose International
San Jose · elev 62 ft
- KHWD — Hayward Exec
Hayward · elev 52 ft
- KSFO — San Francisco International
San Francisco · elev 13 ft
- KRHV — Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara County
San Jose · elev 135 ft
- KOAK — Oakland San Francisco Bay
Oakland · elev 9 ft
- KHAF — Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay · elev 66 ft
- KLVK — Livermore Municipal
Livermore · elev 400 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KPAO in summer?
On a typical September afternoon — around 80 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Palo Alto reaches roughly 1,351 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 KPAO on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −700 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 587 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 7 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Palo Alto?
7 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KPAO (ICAO) / PAO (FAA), in Palo Alto, California.