NOAA Pittsburgh International Airport averages 44.1 inches of snow a season (1991–2020 normals)NOAA January is the snowiest month at 13.3 inches; February averages 11.7NOAA About 14.5 days a year bring 1 inch of snow or moreNOAA Normal January low: 21.4°FNOAA About 97 freeze-thaw cycles a year at Pittsburgh International AirportNOAA Median first measurable snow at the airport: November 15 (29 seasons of daily records)NWS Pittsburgh Earliest 1-inch snow on record: October 18, 1972 (1.8 inches)City of Pittsburgh Sidewalks cleared within 24 hours after snow, sleet or freezing rain (Code §419.03)City of Pittsburgh General penalty: up to $300 plus costs per offense; each day is a separate offense (§101.09)City of Pittsburgh Snow emergency: no parking on marked routes starting 1 hour after the declarationCity of Pittsburgh Don’t shovel snow into the roadway; in heavy snows, give up a parking space for the pileMt. Lebanon Businesses clear sidewalks within 4 hours, Mon.–Sat., 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; fine $5–$300 a dayMonroeville Sidewalks, driveways and parking lots cleared within 24 hours; $500 per occurrence for snow on a public roadCranberry Township Sidewalks cleared within 48 hours after snowfall or ice endsProMatcher Pittsburgh driveway and sidewalk plow visit: about $37.06 on average ($32.94–$41.18)SIMA Snow and ice customers are retained 93% of the time year over yearNOAA Pittsburgh International Airport averages 44.1 inches of snow a season (1991–2020 normals)NOAA January is the snowiest month at 13.3 inches; February averages 11.7NOAA About 14.5 days a year bring 1 inch of snow or moreNOAA Normal January low: 21.4°FNOAA About 97 freeze-thaw cycles a year at Pittsburgh International AirportNOAA Median first measurable snow at the airport: November 15 (29 seasons of daily records)NWS Pittsburgh Earliest 1-inch snow on record: October 18, 1972 (1.8 inches)City of Pittsburgh Sidewalks cleared within 24 hours after snow, sleet or freezing rain (Code §419.03)City of Pittsburgh General penalty: up to $300 plus costs per offense; each day is a separate offense (§101.09)City of Pittsburgh Snow emergency: no parking on marked routes starting 1 hour after the declarationCity of Pittsburgh Don’t shovel snow into the roadway; in heavy snows, give up a parking space for the pileMt. Lebanon Businesses clear sidewalks within 4 hours, Mon.–Sat., 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; fine $5–$300 a dayMonroeville Sidewalks, driveways and parking lots cleared within 24 hours; $500 per occurrence for snow on a public roadCranberry Township Sidewalks cleared within 48 hours after snowfall or ice endsProMatcher Pittsburgh driveway and sidewalk plow visit: about $37.06 on average ($32.94–$41.18)SIMA Snow and ice customers are retained 93% of the time year over year

Steps, Hills and the Refreeze

NOAA counts about 97 freeze-thaw cycles a year at Pittsburgh International Airport, and the normal January low is 21.4°F. On a city of hills and stairs, melt runs downhill and refreezes overnight.

Steps First

Pittsburgh has more public staircases than any city in the U.S. Salt steps and steep driveway aprons first; request a salt box for public steps through 311.

Grit Plus Melt

On slopes, use grit plus ice melt, and a pusher shovel, never a snow blower, on steps.

Re-Treat in the Evening

Melt runs downhill and refreezes overnight, so treat again before the evening cold sets in.

Freezing Rain Counts

The 24-hour sidewalk clock also starts when freezing rain leaves ice (§419.03). Keep ice melt on hand even in light-snow weeks.

Snow Emergency

Move your car off marked snow-emergency routes within 1 hour of the Mayor's declaration (Chapter 531).

Not in the Street

Don't shovel into the street. In big storms, the city says to give up a parking space for the pile.

Sources: NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI, City of Pittsburgh, City of Pittsburgh DPW, City of Pittsburgh Code, City of Pittsburgh.

Know Your Deadline

Where	Sidewalk deadline	Source
Pittsburgh	24 hours after snow, sleet or freezing-rain ice	City of Pittsburgh DPW
Mt. Lebanon	24 hours after 1 inch or more; businesses 4 hours (Mon.–Sat., 7 a.m.–10 p.m.)	Mt. Lebanon Code §15-206 (sidewalk snow)
Monroeville	24 hours, including driveways and parking lots	Monroeville Property Maintenance Code (snow and ice)
Cranberry Township	48 hours after snowfall or ice ends	Cranberry Township Property Maintenance Code §302.3.9.1
McCandless	A reasonable time, preferably within 24 hours	Town of McCandless

Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair and Ross Township deadlines are not covered here yet. Check with your municipality.

Want help? See tools in the Ice Fighter shop, read the winter travel advisories, or let a crew do it.

Get a free quote

Pittsburgh Winter Tips