Kivalina, Alaska · field elev 18 ft

Density Altitude at Kivalina (PAVL)

Kivalina sits at 18 ft, and even its warmest typical afternoon (July, 56 °F) leaves density altitude around −138 ft — below the field elevation itself. Cold, dense air is the norm here; watch for the opposite altimetry problem on cold days instead.

worst typical month: July · ≈−138 ft station: KIVALINA AP · 1 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at KIVALINA 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 −1.2 −4,235 ft 6.6 −3,643 ft
February 1.3 −4,044 ft 9.7 −3,411 ft
March 0.9 −4,074 ft 9.4 −3,433 ft
April 14.8 −3,033 ft 23.6 −2,394 ft
May 32.1 −1,790 ft 38.2 −1,364 ft
June 43.9 −972 ft 50.0 −559 ft
July 50.9 −498 ft 56.3 −138 ft
August 49.1 −619 ft 54.5 −257 ft
September 40.6 −1,198 ft 46.2 −815 ft
October 25.6 −2,251 ft 30.5 −1,903 ft
November 11.4 −3,285 ft 17.3 −2,850 ft
December 2.9 −3,922 ft 10.0 −3,389 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 PAVL

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT −158 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE −158 ft

Field elevation 18 ft — the air behaves like −158 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
19 ft
ISA DEVIATION
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RULE-OF-THUMB DA
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AIR DENSITY INDEX
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AIR DENSITY
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WATER · GRAINS/LB
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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 PAVL in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 56 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Kivalina reaches roughly −138 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 PAVL on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −4,235 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about −498 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 18 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Kivalina?

18 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is PAVL (ICAO) / KVL (FAA), in Kivalina, Alaska.