San Carlos, California · field elev 6 ft
Density Altitude at San Carlos (KSQL)
San Carlos sits at 6 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (81 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,438 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 | 49.7 | −594 ft | 58.9 | 19 ft |
| February | 52.2 | −426 ft | 61.9 | 216 ft |
| March | 54.9 | −246 ft | 65.3 | 437 ft |
| April | 57.5 | −73 ft | 68.5 | 644 ft |
| May | 61.6 | 196 ft | 72.9 | 926 ft |
| June | 66.2 | 496 ft | 78.8 | 1,300 ft |
| July | 68.8 | 664 ft | 81.0 | 1,438 ft |
| August | 68.7 | 657 ft | 80.8 | 1,425 ft |
| September | 66.8 | 535 ft | 79.3 | 1,331 ft |
| October | 62.2 | 236 ft | 74.6 | 1,034 ft |
| November | 54.3 | −286 ft | 64.7 | 398 ft |
| December | 49.4 | −614 ft | 58.6 | −1 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 KSQL
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 6 ft — the air behaves like 1,438 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 7 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
- KPAO — Palo Alto
Palo Alto · elev 7 ft
- KSFO — San Francisco International
San Francisco · elev 13 ft
- KHWD — Hayward Exec
Hayward · elev 52 ft
- KHAF — Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay · elev 66 ft
- KOAK — Oakland San Francisco Bay
Oakland · elev 9 ft
- KSJC — Norman Y Mineta San Jose International
San Jose · elev 62 ft
- KRHV — Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara County
San Jose · elev 135 ft
- KLVK — Livermore Municipal
Livermore · elev 400 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at KSQL in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 81 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at San Carlos reaches roughly 1,438 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 KSQL on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −614 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 664 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 6 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of San Carlos?
6 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSQL (ICAO) / SQL (FAA), in San Carlos, California.