Santa Monica, California · field elev 170 ft
Density Altitude at Santa Monica Municipal (KSMO)
Santa Monica Municipal sits at 170 ft, and even a typical August afternoon (77 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,356 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 | 57.3 | 116 ft | 66.0 | 685 ft |
| February | 57.3 | 116 ft | 65.6 | 659 ft |
| March | 58.7 | 208 ft | 66.4 | 710 ft |
| April | 60.4 | 320 ft | 68.1 | 820 ft |
| May | 62.7 | 470 ft | 68.9 | 872 ft |
| June | 65.5 | 652 ft | 71.4 | 1,032 ft |
| July | 69.0 | 878 ft | 75.1 | 1,267 ft |
| August | 69.8 | 929 ft | 76.5 | 1,356 ft |
| September | 69.2 | 891 ft | 76.1 | 1,330 ft |
| October | 66.1 | 691 ft | 74.0 | 1,197 ft |
| November | 61.0 | 359 ft | 70.1 | 949 ft |
| December | 57.0 | 96 ft | 66.2 | 698 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 KSMO
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 170 ft — the air behaves like 1,387 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 171 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
- KLAX — Los Angeles International
Los Angeles · elev 128 ft
- KHHR — Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal
Hawthorne · elev 66 ft
- KVNY — Van Nuys
Van Nuys · elev 802 ft
- KBUR — Bob Hope
Burbank · elev 778 ft
- KCPM — Compton/Woodley
Compton · elev 99 ft
- KTOA — Zamperini Field
Torrance · elev 103 ft
- KWHP — Whiteman
Los Angeles · elev 1,003 ft
- KLGB — Long Beach (Daugherty Field)
Long Beach · elev 60 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KSMO in summer?
On a typical August afternoon — around 77 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Santa Monica Municipal reaches roughly 1,356 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 KSMO on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly 96 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 929 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 170 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Santa Monica Municipal?
170 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSMO (ICAO) / SMO (FAA), in Santa Monica, California.