Sierraville, California · field elev 4,990 ft
Density Altitude at Sierraville Dearwater (O79)
From a field elevation of 4,990 ft, a typical July afternoon at Sierraville Dearwater (86 °F) raises density altitude to about 7,830 ft — solidly into the range where performance charts deserve a close read.
Typical density altitude by month
| Month | Avg temp °F | DA at avg temp | Afternoon high °F | DA on a typical afternoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31.1 | 4,335 ft | 43.0 | 5,127 ft ▲ |
| February | 33.7 | 4,510 ft | 46.0 | 5,323 ft ▲ |
| March | 38.4 | 4,824 ft | 51.6 | 5,685 ft ▲ |
| April | 43.4 | 5,153 ft | 57.7 | 6,074 ft ▲ |
| May | 51.0 | 5,646 ft | 67.0 | 6,656 ft ▲ |
| June | 58.7 | 6,137 ft | 77.2 | 7,280 ft ▲ |
| July | 65.5 | 6,563 ft | 86.4 | 7,830 ft ▲ |
| August | 63.9 | 6,463 ft | 85.2 | 7,759 ft ▲ |
| September | 58.0 | 6,093 ft | 78.8 | 7,376 ft ▲ |
| October | 48.1 | 5,459 ft | 66.4 | 6,619 ft ▲ |
| November | 38.3 | 4,817 ft | 52.5 | 5,743 ft ▲ |
| December | 30.7 | 4,308 ft | 42.1 | 5,068 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 O79
DENSITY ALTITUDE caution
Field elevation 4,990 ft — the air behaves like 7,806 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 4,992 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
- O02 — Nervino
Beckwourth · elev 4,900 ft
- KTRK — Truckee-Tahoe
Truckee · elev 5,904 ft
- KBLU — Blue Canyon - Nyack
Emigrant Gap · elev 5,284 ft
- H37 — Herlong
Herlong · elev 4,062 ft
- 2O1 — Gansner Field
Quincy · elev 3,419 ft
- KGOO — Nevada County
Grass Valley · elev 3,158 ft
- KTVL — Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe · elev 6,268 ft
- E36 — Georgetown
Georgetown · elev 2,625 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at O79 in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 86 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Sierraville Dearwater reaches roughly 7,830 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 O79 on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly 4,308 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 6,563 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 4,990 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Sierraville Dearwater?
4,990 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is O79 (FAA), in Sierraville, California.