Staunton/Waynesboro/Harrisonburg, Virginia · field elev 1,201 ft

Density Altitude at Shenandoah Valley Regional (KSHD)

Shenandoah Valley Regional sits at 1,201 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (86 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 3,187 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈3,187 ft station: WAYNESBORO WTP · 13 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at WAYNESBORO WTP (13 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 33.8 −194 ft 44.2 518 ft
February 36.2 −28 ft 47.6 747 ft
March 43.4 464 ft 55.4 1,264 ft
April 53.0 1,106 ft 66.3 1,972 ft
May 62.1 1,701 ft 74.2 2,473 ft
June 70.4 2,233 ft 82.1 2,966 ft
July 74.5 2,492 ft 85.7 3,187 ft
August 73.0 2,398 ft 84.6 3,120 ft
September 66.0 1,953 ft 77.5 2,680 ft
October 55.1 1,245 ft 67.7 2,061 ft
November 44.5 538 ft 56.4 1,330 ft
December 37.0 27 ft 47.1 713 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 KSHD

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 3,205 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 3,205 ft

Field elevation 1,201 ft — the air behaves like 3,205 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
1,202 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 Virginia fields

All Virginia airports →

Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KSHD in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 86 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Shenandoah Valley Regional reaches roughly 3,187 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 KSHD on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −194 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,492 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,201 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Shenandoah Valley Regional?

1,201 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSHD (ICAO) / SHD (FAA), in Staunton/Waynesboro/Harrisonburg, Virginia.