Pittsburgh, PA weather in December
In December, Pittsburgh sees highs around 41°F and lows around 27°F: cold, with frequent rain and some snow. Expect about 15 wet days. Snowfall averages about 7.7 in.
- Normal high
- 41°F
- Normal low
- 27°F
- Wet days
- 15
- 2.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 7.7 in
- snow on the ground 8 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 45°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 23°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 45% | 50% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:23 am / 4:54 pm | 7:43 am / 5:02 pm |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 9.3 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am32°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 am32°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon36°Fdew point 27°F
- 3 pm38°Fdew point 27°F
- 6 pm36°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm35°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Pittsburgh Allegheny Co Airport (7 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 29% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 66%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below23 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more8 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 2.8 in; a dry December brings about 2.0 in and a wet one about 3.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 7.7 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 52°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 30°F
- Wettest December2012: 5.5 in
- Driest December1997: 1.3 in
- Highest reading73°F (December 5, 2001)
- Lowest reading0°F (December 31, 2017)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
December compared with November and January
| November | December | January | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 51°F | 41°F | 36°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 27°F | 21°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 15 | 17 |
| Comfortable days | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.3 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Charleston, WV169 mi · high 48°F · 14 wet days
- Drier: Gettysburg, PA152 mi · high 43°F · 10 wet days
How Pittsburgh ranks in December
- Normal high281st warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 4 in Pennsylvania
- Wet days344th driest of 378
- Comfortable days224th most of 340
What to pack for Pittsburgh in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 27°F, highs near 41°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 15 days
- Waterproof boots – about 7.7 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 23 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 972 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Pittsburgh in December?
The normal high is 41°F and the normal low is 27°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 0°F (most recently on December 31, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Pittsburgh in December?
About 15 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.8 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2012 (5.5 in); the driest was in 1997 (1.3 in).
Does it snow in Pittsburgh in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 7.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 8 days.
Is December a good time to visit Pittsburgh?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Pittsburgh (31 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best months are May and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Pittsburgh Intl Airport (USW00094823), 12 mi WNW of the city center, 1,203 ft (438 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Emsworth L/D Ohio Rvr (USC00362574), 6.6 mi NW of the city center, 717 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Pittsburgh Allegheny Co Airport (USW00014762), 7.1 mi SSE of the city center, 1,248 ft (483 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Pittsburgh International Airport (725200-94823), 12 mi WNW of the city center, 1,119 ft (354 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.