Sterling, Colorado · field elev 4,038 ft

Density Altitude at Sterling Municipal (KSTK)

From a field elevation of 4,038 ft, a typical July afternoon at Sterling Municipal (91 °F) raises density altitude to about 6,962 ft — solidly into the range where performance charts deserve a close read.

worst typical month: July · ≈6,962 ft station: STERLING · 3 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at STERLING (3 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 28.9 3,003 ft 42.1 3,892 ft
February 32.1 3,221 ft 45.6 4,123 ft
March 41.7 3,865 ft 56.7 4,842 ft
April 49.5 4,378 ft 63.7 5,286 ft ▲
May 59.5 5,021 ft 73.4 5,889 ft ▲
June 70.8 5,729 ft 84.9 6,587 ft ▲
July 76.7 6,091 ft 91.2 6,962 ft ▲
August 74.1 5,932 ft 88.6 6,808 ft ▲
September 65.1 5,374 ft 81.3 6,371 ft ▲
October 50.8 4,462 ft 66.2 5,443 ft ▲
November 38.7 3,666 ft 53.1 4,611 ft
December 28.6 2,982 ft 41.8 3,872 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 KSTK

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 6,950 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 6,950 ft caution

Field elevation 4,038 ft — the air behaves like 6,950 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
4,040 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 KSTK in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 91 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Sterling Municipal reaches roughly 6,962 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 KSTK on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly 2,982 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 6,091 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 4,038 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Sterling Municipal?

4,038 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KSTK (ICAO) / STK (FAA), in Sterling, Colorado.