Williston, North Dakota · field elev 2,356 ft

Density Altitude at Williston Basin International (KXWA)

Williston Basin International sits at 2,356 ft, and even a typical August afternoon (85 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 4,544 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: August · ≈4,544 ft station: WILLISTON EXP FARM · 8 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at WILLISTON EXP FARM (8 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 13.8 −163 ft 23.6 536 ft
February 18.3 160 ft 28.7 893 ft
March 30.7 1,032 ft 42.3 1,823 ft
April 44.1 1,943 ft 57.5 2,825 ft
May 55.5 2,696 ft 69.1 3,566 ft
June 64.3 3,262 ft 77.3 4,078 ft
July 70.8 3,673 ft 84.7 4,532 ft
August 70.1 3,629 ft 84.9 4,544 ft
September 60.1 2,993 ft 74.6 3,911 ft
October 45.5 2,037 ft 57.9 2,851 ft
November 29.8 969 ft 39.7 1,647 ft
December 17.9 132 ft 27.1 782 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 KXWA

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 4,550 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 4,550 ft

Field elevation 2,356 ft — the air behaves like 4,550 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
2,357 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 North Dakota fields

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at KXWA in summer?

On a typical August afternoon — around 85 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Williston Basin International reaches roughly 4,544 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 KXWA on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −163 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 3,673 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 2,356 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Williston Basin International?

2,356 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is KXWA (ICAO) / XWA (FAA), in Williston, North Dakota.