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City in Ontario, Canada
Ottawa
Canada's capital, where the Rideau Canal freezes into a skating rink and snow lies for most of the winter.
Forecast updated , when it was 05:00 in Ottawa (GMT-5).
Ottawa snow forecast
Next 24 hours
Rain or snow overnight.
Starting around midnight, easing by 1am. Under 1 cm in the next 24 hours. Temperatures are close to 0°C, so some of it may fall as rain.
Possible, forecast models disagree
No snow is forecast for Ottawa in the next 7 days, and all three weather models we compare agree. Expect temperatures from 0 to 4 °C (32 to 39 °F) and the freezing level near 250 m (800 ft) over the next day. It should be sunny on Monday.
- Temperature now
- 1 °C (34 °F)
- Freezing level
- 250 m (800 ft)
- Wind
- 7 km/h (4 mph), gusts 17 km/h (11 mph)
- Sky now
- Overcast, 84% cloud
Will the snow settle in Ottawa?
Unlikely to settle.
It's too mild for snow to stay on the ground for long.
Ottawa hour by hour
Hourly snowfallShow the hours as a table
| Time | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| midnight | Rain or snow | Under 0.1 cm |
Hours not listed are dry. Times are local (GMT-5).
Ottawa 7-day snow forecast
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Today | Cloudy0 to 4 °C (32 to 39 °F) · freezing level 350 m (1,100 ft) | No snow |
| Sat | Rain2 to 5 °C (36 to 41 °F) · freezing level 500 m (1,600 ft) | No snow |
| Sun | Cloudy2 to 6 °C (36 to 43 °F) · freezing level 550 m (1,800 ft) | No snow |
| Mon | Sunny2 to 7 °C (36 to 45 °F) · freezing level 1,500 m (4,900 ft) | No snow |
| Tue | Some sun1 to 10 °C (34 to 50 °F) · freezing level 2,550 m (8,400 ft) | No snow |
| Wed | Some sun3 to 12 °C (37 to 54 °F) · freezing level 3,300 m (10,800 ft) | No snow |
| Thu | Some sun2 to 11 °C (36 to 52 °F) · freezing level 3,300 m (10,800 ft) | No snow |
Sky is graded over the ski day, 9am to 4pm. Bluebird means at least two of the three models show clear skies all day, none shows overcast, and no snow or rain is forecast. Models are weaker on cloud than on snow, and none of them can see valley fog, so treat it as a good sign rather than a promise.
Ottawa 14-day snow outlook
Days 8 to 14. Only two of our three models run this far ahead, and forecasts at this range often change, so read this as a guide to the pattern rather than a plan.
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 20 Nov | Cloudy4 to 9 °C (39 to 48 °F) | No snow |
| Sat 21 Nov | Cloudy3 to 8 °C (37 to 46 °F) | No snow |
| Sun 22 Nov | Cloudy4 to 9 °C (39 to 48 °F) | No snow |
| Mon 23 Nov | Some sun3 to 9 °C (37 to 48 °F) | No snow |
| Tue 24 Nov | Some sun3 to 9 °C (37 to 48 °F) | No snow |
| Wed 25 Nov | Snow−3 to 7 °C (27 to 45 °F) · 2 of 2 models show snow | 1–3 cm (0–2 in) |
| Thu 26 Nov | Cloudy−2 to 0 °C (28 to 32 °F) | No snow |
How much snow is there in Ottawa?
No snow on the ground
This is an estimate from weather models, not a measurement, so it can differ from the depth a resort reports on its pistes.
Where is Ottawa?
When does it snow in Ottawa?
In Ottawa, snow falls on about 8 days in January in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from November to April.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 days | 8 days | 5 days | 3 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | <1 days | 4 days | 7 days |
Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.
Snow in Ottawa month by month
Averages for 2016 to 2025, from ERA5 reanalysis data.
| Month | Snow days | Share of the year's snow | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8 | 25% | −12 to −3 °C (10 to 27 °F) |
| February | 8 | 24% | −12 to −1 °C (10 to 30 °F) |
| March | 5 | 13% | −6 to 4 °C (21 to 39 °F) |
| April | 3 | 7% | 0 to 11 °C (32 to 52 °F) |
| May | 0 | 0% | 8 to 19 °C (46 to 66 °F) |
| June | 0 | 0% | 14 to 24 °C (57 to 75 °F) |
| July | 0 | 0% | 17 to 27 °C (63 to 81 °F) |
| August | 0 | 0% | 17 to 26 °C (63 to 79 °F) |
| September | 0 | 0% | 13 to 22 °C (55 to 72 °F) |
| October | <1 | 1% | 7 to 15 °C (45 to 59 °F) |
| November | 4 | 9% | −1 to 6 °C (30 to 43 °F) |
| December | 7 | 20% | −7 to 0 °C (19 to 32 °F) |
Snow in Ottawa in November
In November, Ottawa gets snow on about 4 days, and the month brings about 9% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −1 to 6 °C (30 to 43 °F).
Snow in Ottawa in December
In December, Ottawa gets snow on about 7 days, and the month brings about 20% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −7 to 0 °C (19 to 32 °F).
Snow in Ottawa in January
In January, Ottawa gets snow on about 8 days, and the month brings about 25% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −12 to −3 °C (10 to 27 °F).
Snow in Ottawa in February
In February, Ottawa gets snow on about 8 days, and the month brings about 24% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −12 to −1 °C (10 to 30 °F).
Snow in Ottawa in March
In March, Ottawa gets snow on about 5 days, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −6 to 4 °C (21 to 39 °F).
Snow in Ottawa in April
In April, Ottawa gets snow on about 3 days, and the month brings about 7% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 0 to 11 °C (32 to 52 °F).
Which winters were snowiest in Ottawa?
Of the last ten winters in Ottawa, 2022/23 was the snowiest, about 29% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2020/21, about 18% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 16 February 2016.
| Winter | Compared with average | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | 123% of average | |
| 2017/18 | 93% of average | |
| 2018/19 | 112% of average | |
| 2019/20 | 90% of average | |
| 2020/21 | 82% of average | |
| 2021/22 | 88% of average | |
| 2022/23 | 129% of average | |
| 2023/24 | 88% of average | |
| 2024/25 | 100% of average | |
| 2025/26 | 95% of average |
Winters are compared with each other rather than given in centimetres. The ERA5 record is reliable on which winters were big and which were lean, but it underestimates absolute snowfall in the mountains, so the resort's own measured totals are the ones to trust for amounts.
Questions about snow in Ottawa
Does Ottawa have snow at Christmas?
Ottawa had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Christmas Day in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 20 to 26 December in 7 of those years.
Does Ottawa have snow at New Year?
Ottawa had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on New Year's Day in 9 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 27 December to 2 January in 9 of those years.
Does Ottawa have snow in mid-February?
Ottawa had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on 15 February in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 10 to 20 February in every one of those years.
Does Ottawa have snow at Easter?
Ottawa had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Easter Sunday in 3 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during Good Friday to Easter Monday in none of those years.
How many days a year does it snow in Ottawa?
It snows on about 35 days a year in Ottawa, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. January has the most, about 8 days.
What is the snowiest month in Ottawa?
January is the snowiest month in Ottawa, bringing about 25% of the year's snowfall, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025.
Which recent winter was the snowiest in Ottawa?
Of the last ten winters in Ottawa, 2022/23 was the snowiest, about 29% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2020/21, about 18% below average.
How cold does Ottawa get in winter?
January is the coldest month in Ottawa, with average daily lows of −12 °C (10 °F) and highs of −3 °C (27 °F).
Snow forecasts near Ottawa
Nearest ski resorts to Ottawa
Sources: Ottawa on Wikidata, Elevation from the Open-Meteo terrain model at the city centre coordinates