Shelton, Washington · field elev 273 ft
Density Altitude at Sanderson Field (KSHN)
Sanderson Field sits at 273 ft, and even a typical August afternoon (79 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,608 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 | 40.4 | −895 ft | 47.0 | −445 ft |
| February | 41.7 | −805 ft | 50.4 | −216 ft |
| March | 44.9 | −587 ft | 54.7 | 71 ft |
| April | 48.9 | −316 ft | 59.8 | 408 ft |
| May | 55.3 | 111 ft | 66.8 | 863 ft |
| June | 60.0 | 421 ft | 71.5 | 1,165 ft |
| July | 65.1 | 753 ft | 78.1 | 1,582 ft |
| August | 65.3 | 766 ft | 78.5 | 1,608 ft |
| September | 60.5 | 454 ft | 73.5 | 1,292 ft |
| October | 51.3 | −155 ft | 61.5 | 519 ft |
| November | 44.0 | −648 ft | 51.9 | −115 ft |
| December | 39.5 | −957 ft | 45.7 | −533 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 KSHN
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 273 ft — the air behaves like 1,639 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 274 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 Washington fields
- KOLM — Olympia Regional
Olympia · elev 208 ft
- 44T — Hoskins Field
Olympia · elev 213 ft
- KPWT — Bremerton Ntl
Bremerton · elev 444 ft
- KTIW — Tacoma Narrows
Tacoma · elev 295 ft
- 8W9 — R & K Skyranch
Rochester · elev 149 ft
- 2S1 — Vashon Municipal
Vashon · elev 316 ft
- 8W5 — Apex Airpark
Silverdale · elev 525 ft
- 3B8 — Shady Acres
Spanaway · elev 445 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KSHN in summer?
On a typical August afternoon — around 79 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Sanderson Field reaches roughly 1,608 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 KSHN on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −957 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 766 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 273 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Sanderson Field?
273 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSHN (ICAO) / SHN (FAA), in Shelton, Washington.