Carleton, Michigan · field elev 609 ft

Density Altitude at Buzzwick (W87)

Buzzwick sits at 609 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (84 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,330 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,330 ft station: CARLETON 2W · 5 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at CARLETON 2W (5 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 24.8 −1,567 ft 32.8 −1,002 ft
February 26.6 −1,439 ft 35.6 −807 ft
March 36.3 −759 ft 45.7 −115 ft
April 47.9 33 ft 58.6 744 ft
May 59.3 790 ft 70.1 1,488 ft
June 69.0 1,417 ft 79.5 2,081 ft
July 72.7 1,653 ft 83.5 2,330 ft
August 70.9 1,539 ft 81.4 2,200 ft
September 63.8 1,083 ft 74.9 1,792 ft
October 52.3 327 ft 62.4 992 ft
November 40.3 −483 ft 48.9 100 ft
December 30.6 −1,156 ft 37.7 −662 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 W87

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,361 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,361 ft

Field elevation 609 ft — the air behaves like 2,361 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
610 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 W87 in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 84 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Buzzwick reaches roughly 2,330 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 W87 on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,567 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,653 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 609 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Buzzwick?

609 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is W87 (FAA), in Carleton, Michigan.