Pittsburgh, PA Climate & Monthly Averages
Pittsburgh has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 84° by day; January is the coldest at 38°.
Pittsburgh's climate is a story of contrasts
Pittsburgh runs one of the wider annual swings in our dataset: 24°C separates the average July from the average January. Afternoons reach 84°F (29°C) at the peak of summer and 38°F (3°C) at the depth of winter, with 157 days of measurable precipitation through the year.
July
84° by day 66° at nightJanuary
38° by day 23° at nightThe two ends of the year
Snow falls on roughly 15 days a year, mostly November through April. July is the warm end of the year, averaging 84°F (29°C) by day and 66°F (19°C) overnight. January sits at the other end of the year: 38°F (3°C) by day, 23°F (-5°C) at night. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 96°F (36°C) and the lowest daily minimum -21°F (-29°C).
June is the wettest month at 6.0 inches (153 mm) over 16 days; November is the driest.
Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 4 months, December through March. July is the brightest month at 11.4 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 8.1 - duller than about 81% of the cities we track.
More climate facts for Pittsburgh
- Hottest month: July - highs near 84°F (29°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 38°F (3°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 96°F (36°C) high · -21°F (-29°C) low
- Wettest month: June (16 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (11.4 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 24°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Snow: about 15 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 4
- Average humidity: 72%
Four distinct parts of the year in Pittsburgh
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Pittsburgh stays on the cool side of mild, with daytime highs averaging 61°F (16°C) and nights around 42°F (6°C); rain falls on around 44 of the 90 days, plus about 4 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Pittsburgh runs hot, with daytime highs averaging 82°F (28°C) and nights around 64°F (18°C); rain falls on around 44 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.2 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Pittsburgh is crisp but comfortable, with daytime highs averaging 65°F (18°C) and nights around 48°F (9°C); rain falls on around 31 of the 90 days.
Winter (December through February)
Winter is chilly here - highs near 42°F (5°C), nights near 26°F (-3°C), and rain falls on around 37 of the 90 days, plus about 11 snowy days.
Pittsburgh temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
Choosing a season in Pittsburgh
Best time to visit Pittsburgh
The best time to visit Pittsburgh is generally April to September, when these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 76°F (24°C), with rain on about 14 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in April.
What to pack
Pack for Pittsburgh with light clothing for the warm months, a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. Note the gap between afternoon and night: July pairs 84°F (29°C) with 66°F (19°C).
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38° | 23° | 13 | 3.8 in | 4.5 h/day | 9.6 h | 41% | 72% |
| February | 43° | 25° | 12 | 4.1 in | 6.1 h/day | 10.6 h | 42% | 69% |
| March | 51° | 32° | 14 | 4.4 in | 7.2 h/day | 11.8 h | 46% | 67% |
| April | 62° | 41° | 15 | 5.0 in | 8.6 h/day | 13.2 h | 50% | 68% |
| May | 71° | 53° | 15 | 5.1 in | 10.0 h/day | 14.4 h | 49% | 73% |
| June | 79° | 61° | 16 | 6.0 in | 11.3 h/day | 15.0 h | 52% | 73% |
| July | 84° | 66° | 15 | 4.6 in | 11.4 h/day | 14.8 h | 47% | 75% |
| August | 82° | 65° | 14 | 4.4 in | 10.8 h/day | 13.8 h | 45% | 75% |
| September | 77° | 59° | 11 | 4.2 in | 9.5 h/day | 12.4 h | 35% | 75% |
| October | 65° | 48° | 11 | 4.1 in | 7.4 h/day | 11.0 h | 36% | 74% |
| November | 52° | 36° | 10 | 2.9 in | 6.2 h/day | 9.9 h | 32% | 71% |
| December | 44° | 30° | 12 | 3.7 in | 4.4 h/day | 9.3 h | 39% | 74% |
Pittsburgh from the coldest month to the hottest
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Pittsburgh's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 4.5 h
- Daylight
- 9.6 h
- Snow
- 4 days
February
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 6.1 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
- Snow
- 4 days
March
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 7.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 2 days
April
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 8.6 h
- Daylight
- 13.2 h
- Snow
- 1 day
May
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 10.0 h
- Daylight
- 14.4 h
June
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 15.0 h
July
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 14.8 h
August
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.8 h
September
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 7.4 h
- Daylight
- 11.0 h
November
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.2 h
- Daylight
- 9.9 h
December
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 4.4 h
- Daylight
- 9.3 h
- Snow
- 3 days
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Pittsburgh's coolest part of the year: January, February, December.
Where Pittsburgh sits among other climates
- Pittsburgh sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 53°F (12°C) as an annual average, 52.4 inches (1330 mm) of precipitation and 8.1 hours of sun a day.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.