Philadelphia, PA Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Philadelphia
Seasons are the whole story in Philadelphia. The gap between an average July and an average January is 25°C - hot, humid summers and generally mild winters - which in practice means 88°F (31°C) afternoons at one end of the calendar and 42°F (5°C) at the other.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 88°F (31°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 42°F (5°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 99°F (37°C) high · -7°F (-22°C) low
- Wettest month: July (14 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (11.6 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 25°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 9°C
- Snow: about 9 days a year
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 1
- Average humidity: 68%
Temperatures through the year
January is the coolest month, with highs of 42°F (5°C) and lows near 27°F (-3°C). At its warmest, in July, Philadelphia runs to 88°F (31°C) in the afternoon and back to 70°F (21°C) by dawn. Snow falls on roughly 9 days a year, mostly December through March.
Rain, sun and snow
Between the average July and the average January lie 25°C, a wider spread than roughly 81% of the cities we track. Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 2 months, January through February. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 99°F (37°C) and bottoms at -7°F (-22°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Philadelphia compares
- 28% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than almost every other city we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42° | 27° | 10 | 3.6 in | 6.0 h/day | 9.6 h | 33% | 66% |
| February | 46° | 28° | 10 | 3.5 in | 6.9 h/day | 10.6 h | 36% | 66% |
| March | 53° | 34° | 10 | 4.3 in | 7.9 h/day | 11.8 h | 33% | 63% |
| April | 63° | 44° | 11 | 4.2 in | 8.9 h/day | 13.2 h | 38% | 64% |
| May | 73° | 54° | 12 | 4.2 in | 9.7 h/day | 14.4 h | 39% | 68% |
| June | 82° | 64° | 12 | 4.2 in | 11.2 h/day | 15.0 h | 38% | 67% |
| July | 88° | 70° | 14 | 4.7 in | 11.6 h/day | 14.7 h | 46% | 70% |
| August | 85° | 69° | 12 | 4.5 in | 10.7 h/day | 13.7 h | 39% | 71% |
| September | 79° | 62° | 10 | 4.1 in | 9.0 h/day | 12.4 h | 32% | 71% |
| October | 68° | 51° | 9 | 3.8 in | 7.9 h/day | 11.1 h | 30% | 71% |
| November | 56° | 39° | 8 | 3.0 in | 7.4 h/day | 9.9 h | 26% | 68% |
| December | 47° | 33° | 10 | 4.3 in | 5.8 h/day | 9.3 h | 34% | 71% |
Philadelphia month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Philadelphia's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.0 h
- Daylight
- 9.6 h
- Snow
- 3 days
February
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.9 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
- Snow
- 3 days
March
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 2 days
April
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 8.9 h
- Daylight
- 13.2 h
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.7 h
- Daylight
- 14.4 h
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 15.0 h
July
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 14.7 h
August
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 13.7 h
September
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 7.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.1 h
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 7.4 h
- Daylight
- 9.9 h
December
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 5.8 h
- Daylight
- 9.3 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Philadelphia
Spring (March through May)
Through spring, Philadelphia runs cool rather than cold: 63°F (17°C) by day, 44°F (7°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 34 of the 90 days, plus about 2 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Philadelphia sits firmly in the heat, with daytime highs averaging 85°F (29°C) and nights around 67°F (20°C); rain falls on around 38 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.2 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Philadelphia is mild, with daytime highs averaging 68°F (20°C) and nights around 51°F (11°C); expect showers on roughly 27 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Philadelphia is brisk and cold, with daytime highs averaging 45°F (7°C) and nights around 29°F (-1°C); rain falls on around 31 of the 90 days, plus about 6 snowy days.
Climate questions, answered
How often does it rain in Philadelphia?
Is Philadelphia cold in winter?
How hot does Philadelphia get in summer?
Is Philadelphia humid?
Best time to visit Philadelphia
Aim for April to June and September to October if you get the choice: warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up, and highs average 73°F (23°C) against roughly 11 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in April.
Pack for Philadelphia with light clothing for the warm months, a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Note the gap between afternoon and night: July pairs 88°F (31°C) with 70°F (21°C).
Philadelphia temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.