Anchorage, Alaska · field elev 79 ft
Density Altitude at Lake Hood (PALH)
Lake Hood sits at 79 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (68 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 708 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.
Typical density altitude by month
| Month | Avg temp °F | DA at avg temp | Afternoon high °F | DA on a typical afternoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16.5 | −2,832 ft | 22.8 | −2,375 ft |
| February | 20.7 | −2,526 ft | 27.3 | −2,053 ft |
| March | 25.3 | −2,196 ft | 33.3 | −1,629 ft |
| April | 37.8 | −1,316 ft | 46.1 | −746 ft |
| May | 49.4 | −523 ft | 57.8 | 37 ft |
| June | 57.5 | 17 ft | 65.5 | 540 ft |
| July | 60.9 | 241 ft | 68.1 | 708 ft |
| August | 58.5 | 83 ft | 65.4 | 534 ft |
| September | 50.0 | −483 ft | 56.6 | −43 ft |
| October | 36.9 | −1,378 ft | 42.4 | −999 ft |
| November | 23.5 | −2,325 ft | 28.8 | −1,946 ft |
| December | 19.0 | −2,650 ft | 24.9 | −2,224 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 PALH
DENSITY ALTITUDE
Field elevation 79 ft — the air behaves like 702 ft.
- PRESSURE ALT
- 80 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 Alaska fields
- PANC — Ted Stevens Anchorage International
Anchorage · elev 151 ft
- PAMR — Merrill Field
Anchorage · elev 143 ft
- Z40 — Goose Bay
Goose Bay · elev 78 ft
- PABV — Birchwood
Birchwood · elev 83 ft
- 5HO — Hope
Hope · elev 194 ft
- PAGQ — Big Lake
Big Lake · elev 162 ft
- PAWS — Wasilla
Wasilla · elev 354 ft
- AQY — Girdwood
Girdwood · elev 164 ft
Frequently asked questions
How high does density altitude get at PALH in summer?
On a typical July afternoon — around 68 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Lake Hood reaches roughly 708 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 PALH on an average day?
It swings with the seasons: from roughly −2,832 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 241 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 79 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.
What is the field elevation of Lake Hood?
79 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is PALH (ICAO) / LHD (FAA), in Anchorage, Alaska.