Prestonsburg, Kentucky · field elev 1,222 ft

Density Altitude at Big Sandy Regional (KSJS)

Big Sandy Regional sits at 1,222 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (84 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 3,115 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈3,115 ft station: DUNLOW 1 SW · 19 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at DUNLOW 1 SW (19 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 34.2 −140 ft 42.9 456 ft
February 37.3 74 ft 46.5 699 ft
March 45.0 598 ft 55.7 1,310 ft
April 56.1 1,336 ft 67.9 2,100 ft
May 63.7 1,830 ft 74.5 2,518 ft
June 71.0 2,297 ft 81.1 2,929 ft
July 74.4 2,512 ft 84.1 3,115 ft
August 73.1 2,430 ft 83.1 3,053 ft
September 67.0 2,042 ft 77.5 2,706 ft
October 55.8 1,317 ft 66.4 2,004 ft
November 45.9 659 ft 55.8 1,317 ft
December 38.1 129 ft 46.3 685 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 KSJS

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 3,108 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 3,108 ft

Field elevation 1,222 ft — the air behaves like 3,108 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
1,223 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 KSJS in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 84 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Big Sandy Regional reaches roughly 3,115 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 KSJS on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −140 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,512 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,222 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Big Sandy Regional?

1,222 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSJS (ICAO) / SJS (FAA), in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.