Best time to visit Pittsburgh
Month-by-month weather averages for Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.6 °C / 37 °F | -5 °C / 23 °F | 90 mm / 3.5 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 4.5 °C / 40 °F | -4.3 °C / 24 °F | 93 mm / 3.6 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 10.7 °C / 51 °F | 0.6 °C / 33 °F | 103 mm / 4 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 16.8 °C / 62 °F | 6 °C / 43 °F | 116 mm / 4.5 in | good month |
| May | 22.1 °C / 72 °F | 11.7 °C / 53 °F | 130 mm / 5.1 in | good month |
| June | 26.2 °C / 79 °F | 16.1 °C / 61 °F | 137 mm / 5.4 in | good month |
| July | 28.4 °C / 83 °F | 18.5 °C / 65 °F | 119 mm / 4.7 in | good month |
| August | 27.5 °C / 82 °F | 17.5 °C / 64 °F | 86 mm / 3.4 in | good month |
| September | 24.3 °C / 76 °F | 13.9 °C / 57 °F | 101 mm / 4 in | good month |
| October | 17.6 °C / 64 °F | 7.9 °C / 46 °F | 104 mm / 4.1 in | good month |
| November | 10.7 °C / 51 °F | 1.9 °C / 35 °F | 78 mm / 3.1 in | good month |
| December | 5.6 °C / 42 °F | -1.5 °C / 29 °F | 100 mm / 3.9 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: good
- JJune: good
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Good
- April–November
Pittsburgh has no truly dry season, but April through November stay clearly fine for exploring outdoors despite frequent rain, with August and September - the lowest rainfall and strongest sunshine - the pick of the year. December through March is cold, wet and notably dull, a poor stretch for extended time outside.
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 68%, feels like (high) 14.3 °C / 58 °F, average daily high 16.8 °C / 62 °F, relative humidity 62%, average daily low 6 °C / 43 °F.
Against: wet days 13.9 days, precipitation 116 mm / 4.5 in, days with heavy rain 4 days.
Also on: Art All Night, Baseball opening day, Lent / Fish Fry season, Redbud blossoms.
Watch out for: Easter closures, Good Friday closures.
May · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.8 °C / 71 °F, average daily high 22.1 °C / 72 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 72%, average daily low 11.7 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 69%.
Against: wet days 14.8 days, precipitation 130 mm / 5.1 in, days with heavy rain 4.5 days.
Watch out for: Memorial Day closures.
June · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.5 °C / 82 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 76%, average daily high 26.2 °C / 79 °F, average daily low 16.1 °C / 61 °F.
Against: precipitation 137 mm / 5.4 in, wet days 13.9 days, days with heavy rain 5 days, relative humidity 71%.
Also on: All-Star Craft Beer, Wine and Cocktail Festival, Juneteenth BBQ Competition, Three Rivers Arts Festival.
Watch out for: Juneteenth closures.
July · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 79%, average daily high 28.4 °C / 83 °F, average daily low 18.5 °C / 65 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 30.7 °C / 87 °F, wet days 14.4 days, precipitation 119 mm / 4.7 in, days with heavy rain 4.2 days, relative humidity 73%.
Also on: Deutschtown Music Festival, Fourth of July fireworks at Point State Park, Greek Food Festival, Picklesburgh, Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, Three Rivers Regatta.
Watch out for: Independence Day closures.
August · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 29.3 °C / 85 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, precipitation 86 mm / 3.4 in, average daily high 27.5 °C / 82 °F, days with heavy rain 3 days, average daily low 17.5 °C / 64 °F.
Against: wet days 11.9 days, relative humidity 73%.
Also on: Little Italy Days, Rib Fest / Heinz Field Kickoff, VegFest.
September · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.7 °C / 76 °F, average daily high 24.3 °C / 76 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, average daily low 13.9 °C / 57 °F, wet days 10.3 days.
Against: precipitation 101 mm / 4 in, days with heavy rain 3.4 days, relative humidity 74%.
Also on: Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center Pow Wow, Ebensburg PotatoFest, Oktoberfest celebrations, Penn's Colony Festival, Pittsburgh Lebanese Festival, Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival, Steel City Big Pour, Steelers season opener.
Watch out for: Labor Day closures.
October · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 15.8 °C / 60 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 66%, average daily high 17.6 °C / 64 °F, average daily low 7.9 °C / 46 °F, relative humidity 73%.
Against: wet days 11.7 days, days with heavy rain 4 days, precipitation 104 mm / 4.1 in, sunshine per day 7.3 h.
Also on: Freedom Farms Fall Festival, Mars Applefest, Monster Pumpkin Festival, Shenot Farm Fall Hayrides, Trax Farms Fall Festival, Triple B Farms Fall Festival.
Watch out for: Columbus Day closures, Halloween closures.
November · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 65%, precipitation 78 mm / 3.1 in, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, wet days 9.4 days, relative humidity 69%.
Against: average daily high 10.7 °C / 51 °F, sunshine per day 6.5 h, feels like (high) 7.4 °C / 45 °F, average daily low 1.9 °C / 35 °F.
Watch out for: Thanksgiving closures and airport crowds, Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday travel rush, Veterans Day closures.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Blue Knob, 122 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -1.6 °C | 0.3 °C | 7.1 °C | 14.3 °C | 21.8 °C | 27.5 °C | 30.7 °C | 29.3 °C | 24.7 °C | 15.8 °C | 7.4 °C | 1.9 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 3 days | 3.4 days | 3.6 days | 4 days | 4.5 days | 5 days | 4.2 days | 3 days | 3.4 days | 4 days | 2.5 days | 3.6 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 11 pm | 7 am | 10 am | 2 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 6 pm | 5 pm | 7 am | 6 am | 1 pm | 1 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 5 h | 6.2 h | 7.7 h | 9.1 h | 10.4 h | 11.4 h | 11.6 h | 10.9 h | 9.2 h | 7.3 h | 6.5 h | 4.5 h |
| Relative humidity | 71% | 67% | 62% | 62% | 69% | 71% | 73% | 73% | 74% | 73% | 69% | 72% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 8.5 µg/m³ | 9.1 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ | 9.1 µg/m³ | 12.3 µg/m³ | 18 µg/m³ | 15.8 µg/m³ | 13 µg/m³ | 10.2 µg/m³ | 7.4 µg/m³ | 7.2 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 15.4 µg/m³ | 16.9 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 16.2 µg/m³ | 20.7 µg/m³ | 28.1 µg/m³ | 24.8 µg/m³ | 20.7 µg/m³ | 16.9 µg/m³ | 13.1 µg/m³ | 13 µg/m³ | 16.4 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Pittsburgh Restaurant Week
January
- Fire & Ice Festival
January
- Northside Sandwich Week
January
- Lent / Fish Fry season
February, March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Pączki (pre-Lent pastries)
February, dates vary from year to year
- Redbud blossoms
March and April
- Pennsylvania Maple Festival
March
- Art All Night
April
- Baseball opening day
April
- Three Rivers Arts Festival
1–7 June
- Juneteenth BBQ Competition
June
- All-Star Craft Beer, Wine and Cocktail Festival
June
- Fourth of July fireworks at Point State Park
4 July
- Three Rivers Regatta
4–6 July
- Picklesburgh
July
- Deutschtown Music Festival
July
- Greek Food Festival
July
- Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
July
- VegFest
August
- Little Italy Days
August
- Rib Fest / Heinz Field Kickoff
August
- Steelers season opener
September
- Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center Pow Wow
September
- Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival
September
- Oktoberfest celebrations
September
- Penn's Colony Festival
September
- Ebensburg PotatoFest
September
- Pittsburgh Lebanese Festival
September
- Steel City Big Pour
September
- Triple B Farms Fall Festival
October
- Trax Farms Fall Festival
October
- Shenot Farm Fall Hayrides
October
- Freedom Farms Fall Festival
October
- Mars Applefest
October
- Monster Pumpkin Festival
October
- Lawrenceville Cookie Tour
December
- Phipps Conservatory Holiday Show
December
- Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland's Light Show
December
- Holiday Tours of the Clayton Mansion
December
- Krampusnacht in Market Square
December
- Handmade Arcade craft fair
December
Worth knowing before you go
- Holiday season hotel price hikes
January and December
- New Year's Day closures
1 January
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day closures
January
- Presidents' Day closures
February
- Good Friday closures
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Easter closures
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Memorial Day closures
May
- Juneteenth closures
19 June
- Independence Day closures
4 July
- Labor Day closures
September
- Columbus Day closures
October
- Halloween closures
31 October
- Veterans Day closures
11 November
- Thanksgiving closures and airport crowds
November, dates vary from year to year
- Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday travel rush
November and December, dates vary from year to year
- Christmas closures
24–25 December