Seattle, Washington · field elev 432 ft

Density Altitude at Seattle-Tacoma International (KSEA)

Seattle-Tacoma International sits at 432 ft, and even a typical August afternoon (78 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,746 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: August · ≈1,746 ft station: SEATTLE TACOMA INTL AP · 0 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at SEATTLE TACOMA INTL AP (0 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 42.8 −532 ft 48.0 −180 ft
February 44.0 −451 ft 50.3 −25 ft
March 47.1 −241 ft 54.2 235 ft
April 51.3 42 ft 59.3 571 ft
May 57.5 453 ft 66.3 1,026 ft
June 62.0 748 ft 71.1 1,334 ft
July 67.1 1,078 ft 77.4 1,733 ft
August 67.4 1,097 ft 77.6 1,746 ft
September 62.6 787 ft 71.6 1,366 ft
October 53.8 208 ft 60.5 650 ft
November 46.5 −281 ft 52.1 95 ft
December 42.0 −587 ft 47.0 −247 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 KSEA

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 1,771 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 1,771 ft

Field elevation 432 ft — the air behaves like 1,771 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
433 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 KSEA in summer?

On a typical August afternoon — around 78 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Seattle-Tacoma International reaches roughly 1,746 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 KSEA on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −587 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,097 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 432 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Seattle-Tacoma International?

432 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSEA (ICAO) / SEA (FAA), in Seattle, Washington.