Pittsburgh - Coldest Decades

The coldest decades on record are ranked here for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The lists include decades when Pittsburgh had the lowest average temperatures, the fewest hot days and the most cold days. These extremes are for temperatures observed at Pittsburgh International Airport and cover seven decades, from the 1950s to the 2010s.

That is when Pittsburgh had weather measurements that are consistent and complete enough to compare decades. Each decade comprises a standard 10-year range. For instance, the 1990s includes measurements from Jan 1, 1990 to Dec 31, 1999. Links to the data behind these lists are in the References section on this page.

Coolest High Temperatures

Average daily maximum temperature at Pittsburgh
High °F Decade High °C
Lowest 59.4 1970s 15.2
Runner-up 59.6 1960s 15.3

Coldest Low Temperatures

Average daily minimum temperature at Pittsburgh
Low °F Decade Low °C
Lowest 39.8 1960s 4.3
Runner-up 40.9 1980s 5.0

Fewest Warm Days

Total days per year on average when Pittsburgh had temperatures of at least 70 °F (21 °C)
Days Decade
Lowest 143 1970s
Runner-up 147 1980s, 1960s

Fewest Hot Days

Total days per year on average when Pittsburgh had temperatures of at least 90 °F (32 °C)
Days Decade
Lowest 5 1970s
Runner-up 7 2000s

Most Freezing Days

Total days per year on average when Pittsburgh had temperatures of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower
Days Decade
Highest 128 1960s
Runner-up 126 1980s

Most Cold Days

Total days per year on average when Pittsburgh had temperatures of 0 °F (-18 °C) or lower
Days Decade
Highest 6 1970s
Runner-up 5 1980s, 1960s
References

Current Results. 2020. Pittsburgh PA Temperature Averages by Decade

Jay Lawrimore, Ron Ray, Scott Applequist, Bryant Korzeniewski, Matthew Menne. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

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