Pikeville, Kentucky · field elev 1,465 ft

Density Altitude at Pike County/Hatcher Field (KPBX)

Pike County/Hatcher Field sits at 1,465 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (82 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 3,269 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈3,269 ft station: CLINTWOOD 1W · 29 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at CLINTWOOD 1W (29 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 32.1 18 ft 42.5 731 ft
February 35.3 239 ft 46.5 1,000 ft
March 42.7 744 ft 55.9 1,623 ft
April 52.5 1,399 ft 67.5 2,373 ft
May 60.9 1,949 ft 74.1 2,790 ft
June 67.7 2,385 ft 79.5 3,127 ft
July 71.2 2,607 ft 81.8 3,269 ft
August 70.3 2,551 ft 80.7 3,201 ft
September 64.3 2,168 ft 75.9 2,903 ft
October 53.1 1,439 ft 66.4 2,302 ft
November 42.6 737 ft 55.4 1,590 ft
December 35.4 246 ft 45.5 933 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 KPBX

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 3,282 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 3,282 ft

Field elevation 1,465 ft — the air behaves like 3,282 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
1,466 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 KPBX in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 82 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Pike County/Hatcher Field reaches roughly 3,269 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 KPBX on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly 18 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,607 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,465 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Pike County/Hatcher Field?

1,465 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KPBX (ICAO) / PBX (FAA), in Pikeville, Kentucky.