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Natives of southwestern Pennsylvania boast that the region has four distinct seasons with each resident proclaiming a favorite. The climate in southwestern Pennsylvania is moderate in character with temperatures generally ranging from zero to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 18 to 32 degrees Celsius). Annual average precipitation totals approximately 36 inches in the vicinity of Pittsburgh, increasing to 39 inches in the northwestern areas of the region. Portions of this precipitation occur as snow or sleet during the winter months. The average growing season is about 180 days. Due to topographical differences of the region, there is a wide variation in the time of the first and last frost. Seven months of the year, April through October, the region enjoys sunshine more than 50 percent of the time.
| Average Date of Last Freeze |
April 21 |
| Latest Recorded Freeze |
May 29, 1894 |
| Average Date of First Freeze |
October 20 |
| Earliest Recorded Freeze |
September 17, 1959 |
| Average Freeze Period (days) |
124.1 |
| Average Wind Velocity (miles/hr) |
9.0 |
| Average Humidity (1 p.m.): |
January
April
July
October
|
66%
51%
54%
55% |
| Average Number of Days per Year: |
Clear
Partly Cloudy
Cloudy
Rain (.001 inch minimum)
Snow (sleet or hail, 1 inch)
Thunderstorms
Fog
|
9
103
203
152
10
35.4
17.6 |
| Average Annual Rainfall (in.) |
37.85 |
| Average Annual Snowfall (in.) |
43.5 |
Source: National Climate Data Center | Last Updated: March 16, 2006
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