Lihue, Hawaii · field elev 152 ft

Density Altitude at Lihue (PHLI)

Lihue sits at 152 ft, and even a typical September afternoon (85 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 1,883 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: September · ≈1,883 ft station: LIHUE WSO AP 1020.1 · 1 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at LIHUE WSO AP 1020.1 (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 72.3 1,067 ft 78.6 1,466 ft
February 72.2 1,061 ft 78.1 1,434 ft
March 72.9 1,105 ft 78.5 1,459 ft
April 74.6 1,213 ft 79.8 1,541 ft
May 76.3 1,321 ft 81.6 1,654 ft
June 78.3 1,447 ft 83.3 1,759 ft
July 79.6 1,528 ft 84.6 1,840 ft
August 80.2 1,566 ft 85.2 1,877 ft
September 80.0 1,554 ft 85.3 1,883 ft
October 78.7 1,472 ft 83.9 1,797 ft
November 76.2 1,315 ft 81.2 1,629 ft
December 73.9 1,169 ft 79.1 1,497 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 PHLI

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 1,865 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 1,865 ft

Field elevation 152 ft — the air behaves like 1,865 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
153 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 PHLI in summer?

On a typical September afternoon — around 85 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Lihue reaches roughly 1,883 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 PHLI on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly 1,061 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,566 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 152 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Lihue?

152 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is PHLI (ICAO) / LIH (FAA), in Lihue, Hawaii.