Markleeville, California · field elev 5,872 ft
Density Altitude at Alpine County (M45)
Alpine County is a genuine high-and-hot field: from 5,872 ft of elevation, a typical July afternoon (80 °F) pushes density altitude to about 8,542 ft — the airplane performs like it is 2,670 ft above the field before the wheels roll.
Typical density altitude by month
| Month | Avg temp °F | DA at avg temp | Afternoon high °F | DA on a typical afternoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30.6 | 5,395 ft | 42.8 | 6,202 ft ▲ |
| February | 31.3 | 5,442 ft | 43.4 | 6,241 ft ▲ |
| March | 35.8 | 5,742 ft | 47.8 | 6,525 ft ▲ |
| April | 40.4 | 6,045 ft | 53.2 | 6,870 ft ▲ |
| May | 47.6 | 6,512 ft | 62.1 | 7,429 ft ▲ |
| June | 55.1 | 6,990 ft | 72.0 | 8,037 ft ⚠ |
| July | 61.5 | 7,391 ft | 80.4 | 8,542 ft ⚠ |
| August | 60.4 | 7,323 ft | 79.7 | 8,500 ft ⚠ |
| September | 54.4 | 6,946 ft | 73.4 | 8,122 ft ⚠ |
| October | 45.7 | 6,390 ft | 62.2 | 7,435 ft ▲ |
| November | 37.1 | 5,828 ft | 50.9 | 6,724 ft ▲ |
| December | 30.4 | 5,382 ft | 42.8 | 6,202 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 M45
DENSITY ALTITUDE high DA
Field elevation 5,872 ft — the air behaves like 8,518 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 5,874 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
- KTVL — Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe · elev 6,268 ft
- O57 — Bryant Field
Bridgeport · elev 6,472 ft
- KTRK — Truckee-Tahoe
Truckee · elev 5,904 ft
- KPVF — Placerville
Placerville · elev 2,586 ft
- O22 — Columbia
Columbia · elev 2,121 ft
- E36 — Georgetown
Georgetown · elev 2,625 ft
- KJAQ — Westover Field Amador County
Jackson · elev 1,693 ft
- KCPU — Calaveras County/Maury Rasmussen Field
San Andreas · elev 1,328 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at M45 in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 80 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Alpine County reaches roughly 8,542 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 M45 on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly 5,382 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 7,391 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 5,872 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Alpine County?
5,872 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is M45 (FAA), in Markleeville, California.