Portales, New Mexico · field elev 4,078 ft

Density Altitude at Portales Municipal (KPRZ)

From a field elevation of 4,078 ft, a typical July afternoon at Portales Municipal (93 °F) raises density altitude to about 7,134 ft — solidly into the range where performance charts deserve a close read.

worst typical month: July · ≈7,134 ft station: PORTALES · 4 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at PORTALES (4 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 40.2 3,815 ft 55.0 4,782 ft
February 44.6 4,106 ft 60.6 5,139 ft ▲
March 51.9 4,583 ft 68.7 5,648 ft ▲
April 59.7 5,082 ft 76.9 6,152 ft ▲
May 68.7 5,648 ft 84.8 6,630 ft ▲
June 77.6 6,195 ft 92.9 7,110 ft ▲
July 79.8 6,329 ft 93.3 7,134 ft ▲
August 78.1 6,225 ft 91.3 7,016 ft ▲
September 71.3 5,809 ft 85.2 6,654 ft ▲
October 60.4 5,127 ft 75.8 6,085 ft ▲
November 48.3 4,349 ft 63.4 5,316 ft ▲
December 40.3 3,822 ft 54.6 4,757 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 KPRZ

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 7,116 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 7,116 ft caution

Field elevation 4,078 ft — the air behaves like 7,116 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
4,080 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 New Mexico fields

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KPRZ in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 93 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Portales Municipal reaches roughly 7,134 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 KPRZ on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly 3,815 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 6,329 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 4,078 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Portales Municipal?

4,078 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KPRZ (ICAO) / PRZ (FAA), in Portales, New Mexico.