Vandalia, Illinois · field elev 537 ft

Density Altitude at Vandalia Municipal (KVLA)

Vandalia Municipal sits at 537 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (87 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,446 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,446 ft station: VANDALIA · 4 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at VANDALIA (4 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 28.8 −1,373 ft 36.9 −807 ft
February 33.0 −1,078 ft 41.9 −463 ft
March 42.9 −395 ft 52.7 265 ft
April 54.2 365 ft 65.1 1,078 ft
May 64.6 1,046 ft 74.9 1,704 ft
June 73.5 1,616 ft 83.7 2,254 ft
July 76.7 1,818 ft 86.8 2,446 ft
August 75.2 1,723 ft 85.9 2,390 ft
September 67.7 1,246 ft 79.6 1,999 ft
October 55.8 471 ft 67.7 1,246 ft
November 43.9 −327 ft 53.7 331 ft
December 33.6 −1,036 ft 41.5 −491 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 KVLA

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,458 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,458 ft

Field elevation 537 ft — the air behaves like 2,458 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
538 ft
ISA DEVIATION
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RULE-OF-THUMB DA
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AIR DENSITY INDEX
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AIR DENSITY
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WATER · GRAINS/LB
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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 KVLA in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 87 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Vandalia Municipal reaches roughly 2,446 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 KVLA on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,373 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,818 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 537 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Vandalia Municipal?

537 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KVLA (ICAO) / VLA (FAA), in Vandalia, Illinois.