Sumter, South Carolina · field elev 182 ft
Density Altitude at Sumter (KSMS)
Sumter sits at 182 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (90 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,221 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 | 43.9 | −768 ft | 55.1 | −15 ft |
| February | 46.7 | −578 ft | 58.5 | 210 ft |
| March | 53.6 | −114 ft | 66.3 | 719 ft |
| April | 62.2 | 453 ft | 74.7 | 1,256 ft |
| May | 69.5 | 925 ft | 81.2 | 1,665 ft |
| June | 76.6 | 1,377 ft | 87.3 | 2,043 ft |
| July | 79.9 | 1,584 ft | 90.2 | 2,221 ft |
| August | 78.5 | 1,496 ft | 88.5 | 2,117 ft |
| September | 73.2 | 1,161 ft | 83.4 | 1,802 ft |
| October | 62.6 | 479 ft | 74.4 | 1,237 ft |
| November | 52.4 | −194 ft | 64.8 | 622 ft |
| December | 46.2 | −612 ft | 57.4 | 138 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 KSMS
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 182 ft — the air behaves like 2,209 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 183 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 South Carolina fields
- 52J — Lee County/Butters Field
Bishopville · elev 211 ft
- KCDN — Woodward Field
Camden · elev 303 ft
- 58J — Huggins Meml
Timmonsville · elev 143 ft
- KMNI — Santee Cooper Regional
Manning · elev 103 ft
- KHVS — Hartsville Regional
Hartsville · elev 364 ft
- 6J7 — Branhams
Darlington · elev 166 ft
- 2Q0 — Flying W
Hartsville · elev 292 ft
- KCKI — Williamsburg Regional
Kingstree · elev 67 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KSMS in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 90 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Sumter reaches roughly 2,221 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 KSMS on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −768 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,584 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 182 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Sumter?
182 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSMS (ICAO) / SMS (FAA), in Sumter, South Carolina.