Santa Maria, California · field elev 261 ft
Density Altitude at Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field (KSMX)
Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field sits at 261 ft, and even a typical September afternoon (75 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,372 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 | 52.8 | −70 ft | 64.7 | 712 ft |
| February | 53.6 | −17 ft | 64.8 | 719 ft |
| March | 55.3 | 96 ft | 66.3 | 816 ft |
| April | 56.7 | 189 ft | 68.1 | 932 ft |
| May | 59.0 | 340 ft | 69.3 | 1,009 ft |
| June | 61.5 | 504 ft | 71.3 | 1,137 ft |
| July | 64.1 | 674 ft | 73.3 | 1,264 ft |
| August | 64.5 | 700 ft | 73.8 | 1,296 ft |
| September | 64.3 | 687 ft | 75.0 | 1,372 ft |
| October | 62.2 | 550 ft | 74.6 | 1,347 ft |
| November | 57.1 | 215 ft | 70.0 | 1,054 ft |
| December | 52.2 | −110 ft | 64.3 | 687 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 KSMX
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 261 ft — the air behaves like 1,372 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 262 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
- KLPC — Lompoc
Lompoc · elev 88 ft
- L52 — Oceano County
Oceano · elev 14 ft
- KSBP — San Luis Obispo County Regional
San Luis Obispo · elev 212 ft
- KIZA — Santa Ynez/Kunkle Field
Santa Ynez · elev 674 ft
- L88 — New Cuyama
New Cuyama · elev 2,204 ft
- KSBA — Santa Barbara Municipal
Santa Barbara · elev 14 ft
- KPRB — Paso Robles Municipal
Paso Robles · elev 839 ft
- L17 — Taft-Kern County
Taft · elev 858 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KSMX in summer?
On a typical September afternoon — around 75 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field reaches roughly 1,372 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 KSMX on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −110 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 700 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 261 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field?
261 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSMX (ICAO) / SMX (FAA), in Santa Maria, California.