Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina · field elev 435 ft
Density Altitude at Raleigh-Durham International (KRDU)
Raleigh-Durham International sits at 435 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (91 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,566 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 | 41.9 | −590 ft | 51.9 | 85 ft |
| February | 45.0 | −379 ft | 55.8 | 344 ft |
| March | 51.8 | 79 ft | 63.3 | 836 ft |
| April | 60.8 | 673 ft | 72.7 | 1,440 ft |
| May | 68.8 | 1,191 ft | 80.0 | 1,900 ft |
| June | 76.7 | 1,693 ft | 87.4 | 2,358 ft |
| July | 80.5 | 1,931 ft | 90.8 | 2,566 ft |
| August | 78.8 | 1,825 ft | 88.7 | 2,438 ft |
| September | 72.6 | 1,433 ft | 82.5 | 2,055 ft |
| October | 61.7 | 732 ft | 73.0 | 1,459 ft |
| November | 51.5 | 59 ft | 63.0 | 816 ft |
| December | 44.6 | −406 ft | 54.7 | 272 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 KRDU
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 435 ft — the air behaves like 2,578 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 436 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 North Carolina fields
- 5W5 — Southern Wake Regional
Raleigh · elev 243 ft
- KTTA — Raleigh Exec Jetport At Sanford-Lee County
Sanford · elev 247 ft
- KLHZ — Triangle North Exec
Louisburg · elev 368 ft
- KTDF — Raleigh Regional At Person County
Roxboro · elev 609 ft
- KJNX — Johnston Regional
Smithfield · elev 164 ft
- 4W4 — Whitfield Farms
Hurdle Mills · elev 653 ft
- KHRJ — Harnett Regional Jetport
Erwin · elev 202 ft
- KHNZ — Henderson/Oxford
Oxford · elev 526 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KRDU in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 91 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Raleigh-Durham International reaches roughly 2,566 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 KRDU on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −590 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,931 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 435 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Raleigh-Durham International?
435 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KRDU (ICAO) / RDU (FAA), in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina.