Puyallup, Washington · field elev 538 ft
Density Altitude at Pierce County/Thun Field (KPLU)
Pierce County/Thun Field sits at 538 ft, and even a typical August afternoon (77 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,806 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 | 39.7 | −613 ft | 46.1 | −177 ft |
| February | 40.6 | −551 ft | 48.0 | −48 ft |
| March | 44.0 | −319 ft | 52.4 | 246 ft |
| April | 48.0 | −48 ft | 57.3 | 571 ft |
| May | 54.4 | 379 ft | 64.3 | 1,028 ft |
| June | 59.0 | 682 ft | 69.0 | 1,330 ft |
| July | 64.0 | 1,008 ft | 75.7 | 1,756 ft |
| August | 64.5 | 1,041 ft | 76.5 | 1,806 ft |
| September | 58.9 | 676 ft | 69.6 | 1,369 ft |
| October | 50.4 | 113 ft | 59.1 | 689 ft |
| November | 43.2 | −373 ft | 50.3 | 106 ft |
| December | 39.0 | −661 ft | 45.0 | −251 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 KPLU
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 538 ft — the air behaves like 1,838 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 539 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 Washington fields
- 3B8 — Shady Acres
Spanaway · elev 445 ft
- S50 — Auburn Municipal
Auburn · elev 63 ft
- 2W3 — Swanson Field
Eatonville · elev 843 ft
- KTIW — Tacoma Narrows
Tacoma · elev 295 ft
- S36 — Crest Airfield
Covington · elev 472 ft
- KSEA — Seattle-Tacoma International
Seattle · elev 432 ft
- 2S1 — Vashon Municipal
Vashon · elev 316 ft
- 44T — Hoskins Field
Olympia · elev 213 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KPLU in summer?
On a typical August afternoon — around 77 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Pierce County/Thun Field reaches roughly 1,806 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 KPLU on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −661 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,041 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 538 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Pierce County/Thun Field?
538 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KPLU (ICAO) / PLU (FAA), in Puyallup, Washington.