Bethel, Alaska · field elev 129 ft

Density Altitude at Bethel (PABE)

Bethel sits at 129 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (64 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 478 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈478 ft station: BETHEL AP · 1 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at BETHEL AP (1 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 6.9 −3,480 ft 12.7 −3,048 ft
February 13.3 −3,004 ft 20.1 −2,507 ft
March 14.5 −2,916 ft 22.0 −2,370 ft
April 29.0 −1,870 ft 36.9 −1,316 ft
May 43.0 −896 ft 52.0 −287 ft
June 53.3 −200 ft 62.1 381 ft
July 56.3 −1 ft 63.6 478 ft
August 53.9 −160 ft 60.5 276 ft
September 46.1 −684 ft 52.7 −240 ft
October 32.2 −1,644 ft 37.9 −1,246 ft
November 18.5 −2,623 ft 24.3 −2,204 ft
December 10.0 −3,248 ft 16.3 −2,784 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 PABE

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 504 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 504 ft

Field elevation 129 ft — the air behaves like 504 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
130 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

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at PABE in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 64 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Bethel reaches roughly 478 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 PABE on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −3,480 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about −1 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 129 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Bethel?

129 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is PABE (ICAO) / BET (FAA), in Bethel, Alaska.