San Francisco, California · field elev 13 ft
Density Altitude at San Francisco International (KSFO)
San Francisco International sits at 13 ft, and even a typical September afternoon (75 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,055 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 | 51.3 | −477 ft | 58.0 | −32 ft |
| February | 53.5 | −330 ft | 60.8 | 153 ft |
| March | 55.5 | −197 ft | 63.4 | 322 ft |
| April | 57.3 | −78 ft | 65.6 | 465 ft |
| May | 59.9 | 93 ft | 68.3 | 640 ft |
| June | 62.5 | 264 ft | 71.5 | 845 ft |
| July | 64.0 | 362 ft | 72.6 | 916 ft |
| August | 64.9 | 420 ft | 73.4 | 967 ft |
| September | 65.3 | 446 ft | 74.8 | 1,055 ft |
| October | 62.9 | 290 ft | 72.3 | 896 ft |
| November | 56.4 | −137 ft | 64.3 | 381 ft |
| December | 51.4 | −471 ft | 58.2 | −18 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 KSFO
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 13 ft — the air behaves like 1,068 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 14 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 California fields
- KHAF — Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay · elev 66 ft
- KSQL — San Carlos
San Carlos · elev 6 ft
- KOAK — Oakland San Francisco Bay
Oakland · elev 9 ft
- KHWD — Hayward Exec
Hayward · elev 52 ft
- KPAO — Palo Alto
Palo Alto · elev 7 ft
- KSJC — Norman Y Mineta San Jose International
San Jose · elev 62 ft
- KLVK — Livermore Municipal
Livermore · elev 400 ft
- KCCR — Buchanan Field
Concord · elev 26 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KSFO in summer?
On a typical September afternoon — around 75 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at San Francisco International reaches roughly 1,055 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 KSFO on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −477 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 446 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 13 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of San Francisco International?
13 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSFO (ICAO) / SFO (FAA), in San Francisco, California.