Tappahannock, Virginia · field elev 135 ft

Density Altitude at Tappahannock/Essex County (KXSA)

Tappahannock/Essex County sits at 135 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (88 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,054 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,054 ft station: WARSAW 2 NW · 11 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at WARSAW 2 NW (11 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 37.6 −1,260 ft 46.8 −629 ft
February 40.3 −1,073 ft 50.4 −387 ft
March 47.5 −582 ft 58.5 152 ft
April 57.8 106 ft 69.7 880 ft
May 66.2 654 ft 77.1 1,350 ft
June 73.9 1,148 ft 84.3 1,801 ft
July 78.2 1,420 ft 88.4 2,054 ft
August 76.2 1,294 ft 86.4 1,931 ft
September 70.1 906 ft 80.4 1,558 ft
October 59.5 218 ft 70.4 925 ft
November 49.3 −461 ft 59.5 218 ft
December 41.2 −1,011 ft 50.0 −414 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 KXSA

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,029 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,029 ft

Field elevation 135 ft — the air behaves like 2,029 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
136 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 Virginia fields

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KXSA in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 88 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Tappahannock/Essex County reaches roughly 2,054 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 KXSA on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,260 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,420 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 135 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Tappahannock/Essex County?

135 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KXSA (ICAO) / XSA (FAA), in Tappahannock, Virginia.