Downtown Pittsburgh's skyline across the river on a clear day, with the UPMC sign atop the U.S. Steel Tower at center

Visit Pittsburgh · When to go

The best time to visit Pittsburgh.

Month by month: NOAA weather normals, which teams are home, and festival dates verified with the organizers. Tick what you care about and the calendar picks your month.

Open the calendar All 12 months

Photo: Pexels

Short answer

June and September are the sweet spots for weather: normal highs of 79°F and 75°F, and September has the fewest wet days of the year. Late November and December bring Light Up Night (November 21, 2026), the Market Square Holiday Market and the PPG Place rink. Snow is heaviest in January (13.3 inches normal). Sports run almost year-round: Pirates from late March, Steelers from September, Penguins from October to April.

NOAA 1991-2020 normals

The year, by the numbers

83°FNormal July high, the warmest month.

21°FNormal January low, the coldest month.

5.8Wet days in September, the year's fewest.

13.3"Normal January snowfall, the year's most.

Interactive

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Pittsburgh month by month

Find my month. I want:

Weather: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Pittsburgh International Airport. "Wet days" are days with 0.10 inch or more of precipitation. Events: organizers' published dates, checked October 19, 2026. The ranking weighs only what you tick.

The table

All 12 months at a glance

Month	High / low	Precip	Wet days	Snow	Verified dates
January	36° / 21°	2.96"	7	13.3"	Through Jan 3, 2027: 59th Carnegie International closes (open since May 2, 2026) Through Jan 3, 2027: Kennywood Holiday Lights, select days Through Jan 10, 2027: Phipps Conservatory Holiday Magic Jan 11 to 17, 2027: Pittsburgh Restaurant Week (winter) Through Feb 28, 2027: UPMC Rink at PPG Place, posted hours
February	40° / 23°	2.62"	6.5	11.7"	Through Feb 28, 2027: UPMC Rink at PPG Place, posted hours
March	49° / 30°	3.15"	7.8	7.6"	Mar 14 (2026 date): St. Patrick's Day Parade, Downtown. 2027 date not yet announced Mar 25, 2027: Pirates Opening Day vs the Athletics, PNC Park
April	62° / 41°	3.32"	8.8	1.0"	Apr 3, 2027: Penguins' last regular-season home game Apr 18 (2026 date): Kennywood season opened. 2027 date not yet announced
May	72° / 51°	3.83"	8.3	None	May 1 to 2, 2027: DICK'S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon weekend May 29 to 30, 2027: Pittsburgh Pride kicks off (Pride Prom, Picniq)
June	79° / 59°	4.12"	7.8	None	Jun 4 to 6, 2027: Pittsburgh Pride festival; parade Sunday, June 6 Jun 5 to 7 and 11 to 14 (2026 dates): Three Rivers Arts Festival, free. 2027 dates not yet announced Jun 18 to 21 (2026 dates): Juneteenth celebration, Point State Park to Market Square
July	83° / 63°	4.26"	7.4	None	Jul 1 to 4, 2027: Anthrocon Jul 16 to 19 (2026 dates): Picklesburgh, Downtown. 2027 dates not yet announced
August	82° / 62°	3.52"	6.3	None	Aug 13 to 16 (2026 dates): Little Italy Days, Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield
September	75° / 55°	3.30"	5.8	None	Sep 11 to 13 (2026 dates): Pittsburgh Irish Festival, Carrie Blast Furnaces Sep 26 to 27 (2026 dates): Great Race 10K and 5K, finishing at Point State Park
October	63° / 44°	2.83"	6.9	0.4"	Oct 3 to 4 (2026 dates): Head of the Ohio regatta Oct 10 to Nov 1, 2026: Phipps fall flower show
November	51° / 34°	2.86"	6.6	2.4"	Nov 13, 2026: UPMC Rink at PPG Place: first posted hours Nov 13, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027: Kennywood Holiday Lights, select days Nov 20 to Dec 24, 2026: Peoples Gas Holiday Market, Market Square (closed Thanksgiving) Nov 20, 2026: Phipps Holiday Magic opens Nov 21, 2026: Light Up Night, Downtown Nov 27, 2026: Steelers vs Broncos, Black Friday, 3:00 PM
December	41° / 27°	2.84"	6.7	7.7"	Through Dec 24, 2026: Peoples Gas Holiday Market, Market Square Dec 6 and Dec 20, 2026: Steelers home games (Texans, Ravens)

Temperatures in °F, precipitation and snow in inches, from NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Pittsburgh International (station USW00094823). Event dates checked October 19, 2026.

The yellow-and-black Steel Curtain roller coaster rising over the Kennywood Park entrance building and the Racer

Summer

Coasters, festivals and Pirates baseball.

Kennywood opened its 2026 season on April 18 and runs Holiday Lights on select days from November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027. June and July bring the free Three Rivers Arts Festival, Anthrocon (July 1 to 4, 2027) and Picklesburgh.

Plan 48 hours

Photo: Roller Coaster Philosophy, CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Built around the season

Pick your season's trip.

PNC Park's ballfield and stands, with the yellow Roberto Clemente Bridge and downtown Pittsburgh beyond the outfield

Spring and summerPirates at PNC ParkOpening Day is March 25, 2027.

Downtown Pittsburgh lit up at blue hour from Mount Washington, with Point State Park, the rivers and the Fort Pitt Bridge below

FallA Steelers weekendRemaining 2026 home dates and a planner.

The Point State Park fountain shooting a tall column of water at the tip of downtown Pittsburgh, with wooded Mount Washington across the river

WinterPenguins hockeyHome games through April 3, 2027.

A red Duquesne Incline car climbing Mount Washington above the Point, with downtown Pittsburgh and the yellow Fort Duquesne Bridge in morning light

Any timeThe inclinesRunning every day, with sunset times for any date.

Questions

What is the best month to visit Pittsburgh?

For warm, comfortable weather, June and September: NOAA normals put highs at 79°F and 75°F, and September has the fewest wet days of the year (5.8). For holiday lights and markets, late November and December. For two teams on one trip: September (Pirates and Steelers), October to December (Steelers and Penguins), or late March and early April (Pirates and Penguins).

What is the weather like in Pittsburgh by month?

NOAA's 1991-2020 normals at Pittsburgh International range from a 36°F high and 21°F low in January to an 83°F high and 63°F low in July. Snowfall averages 13.3 inches in January and none from May through September.

How much snow does Pittsburgh get?

Normal snowfall at the airport is heaviest in January (13.3 inches) and February (11.7), with 7.6 in March and 7.7 in December, per NOAA's 1991-2020 normals.

When is Light Up Night 2026?

Saturday, November 21, 2026, Downtown.

When is the 2027 Pittsburgh Marathon?

The race weekend is May 1 to 2, 2027, per P3R.

When does Kennywood open?

Kennywood opened its 2026 season on April 18. The 2027 opening date had not been announced when we checked. Holiday Lights runs select days from November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027.

Keep planning

Sources