Pittsburgh weather in December

In December, Pittsburgh sees average daytime highs of 41°F and overnight lows near 28°F, with 3.5 in of precipitation across 11.6 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 44°F in the first days to 39°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 14% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 18 min at the start of December to 9 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Pittsburgh's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Pittsburgh's year-round climate.

Daytime high
41°
10th warmest
Overnight low
28°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.5 in
11.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 06 min
7:42 AM – 4:50 PM
Cloud cover
77%
11th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
1.5 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.1
out of 10

Pittsburgh is city and county seat in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Density
2,015/km²
people per km²
Founded
1758

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 44°F in the first days to 39°F by the end.

A typical December day in Pittsburgh reaches about 41°F in the afternoon and slips back to 28°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°F and 55°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 4°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14532
24431
34431
44431
54330
64330
74230
84229
94229
104129
114129
124128
134128
144028
154028
164028
174028
184027
194027
204027
213927
223927
233927
243927
253926
263926
273926
283926
293926
303826
313826

How December really feels in Pittsburgh

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 31 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
31
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Pittsburgh weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan37° / 23°3.6127.19.40.0
Feb40° / 24°3.110.85.810.40.1
Mar49° / 32°4.212.93.411.71.9
Apr62° / 42°4.713.81134.6
May70° / 51°4.814.3014.25.8
Jun79° / 60°5.013.6014.86.0
Jul82° / 64°4.614014.65.7
Aug81° / 63°3.711.9013.66.2
Sep74° / 56°4.010.4012.36.7
Oct62° / 45°3.710.70.210.95.3
Nov50° / 35°3.5101.49.82.3
Dec41° / 28°3.511.64.69.20.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 14% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 77%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12476
22377
32377
42377
52377
62377
72377
82377
92377
102278
112278
122278
132278
142377
152377
162377
172476
182476
192476
202377
212377
222476
232476
242575
252476
262476
272377
282377
292377
302377
312278

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Pittsburgh gets around 3.5 in of rain and snow over 11.6 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 38% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13911
23911
33912
44013
54013
64014
74014
84015
94015
104016
114016
123916
133916
143815
153815
163815
173715
183715
193615
203615
213515
223514
233514
243514
253514
263514
273614
283615
293715
303716
313816

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 7 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267light breeze
277light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 18 min at the start of December to 9 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:30 AM to 7:49 AM, and sunset from 4:49 PM to 4:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:304:49
29.37:314:49
39.37:324:49
49.37:334:49
59.37:344:49
69.27:354:49
79.27:364:49
89.27:364:49
99.27:374:49
109.27:384:49
119.27:394:49
129.27:404:49
139.17:404:49
149.17:414:49
159.17:424:50
169.17:424:50
179.17:434:50
189.17:444:51
199.17:444:51
209.17:454:51
219.17:454:52
229.17:464:52
239.17:464:53
249.17:474:53
259.17:474:54
269.17:474:54
279.17:484:55
289.17:484:56
299.17:484:56
309.17:484:57
319.17:494:58

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.5 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.5 kWh/m² to a high of 5.92 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.5 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.6Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.6Dim
61.5Dim
71.5Dim
81.5Dim
91.5Dim
101.5Dim
111.5Dim
121.5Dim
131.5Dim
141.5Dim
151.5Dim
161.5Dim
171.5Dim
181.5Dim
191.5Dim
201.5Dim
211.5Dim
221.5Dim
231.5Dim
241.5Dim
251.5Dim
261.5Dim
271.5Dim
281.5Dim
291.5Dim
301.5Dim
311.5Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Pittsburgh

In seasonPeak

None of Pittsburgh's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Pittsburgh sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Pittsburgh?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.1
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Pittsburgh.

What to pack for Pittsburgh in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Pittsburgh sees daytime highs around 41°F and nights near 28°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Pittsburgh in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Pittsburgh peaks around June 22 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 22UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Pittsburgh in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Pittsburgh is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1317 µg/m³Nov 147 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh sits at 40.4°N, 80.0°W, 764 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Wilkinsburg, 6.2 mi away.

Topography around Pittsburgh

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Pittsburgh.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Pittsburgh has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 564 ft around an average of 906 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 682 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,352 ft.

The land around Pittsburgh is covered by artificial surfaces (54%) and trees (35%) within 2 miles, trees (66%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 10 miles, and trees (75%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
564 ft
10 miles
682 ft
50 miles
2,352 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Wilkinsburg 6.2 mi · Mount Lebanon 6.8 mi · Baldwin 6.8 mi · Bethel Park 8.1 mi · Allison Park 8.7 mi · Upper Saint Clair 8.7 mi · West Mifflin 8.7 mi · Penn Hills 9.3 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Pittsburgh (40.4406°, -79.9959°, elevation 764 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).