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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 08:00 in Ottawa (GMT-5).
Ottawa snow forecast
Next 24 hours
No snow in the next 24 hours.
No snow expected in the next 7 days.
High confidence, all three forecast models agree
No snow is forecast for Ottawa in the next 7 days, and all three weather models we compare agree. Expect temperatures from 2 to 5 °C (36 to 41 °F) and the freezing level near 450 m (1,500 ft) over the next day. It should be sunny on Monday and Wednesday.
- Temperature now
- 4 °C (39 °F)
- Freezing level
- 450 m (1,500 ft)
- Wind
- 14 km/h (9 mph), gusts 31 km/h (19 mph)
- Sky now
- Partly cloudy, 66% cloud
Ottawa hour by hour
Hourly snowfallNo rain or snow in Ottawa in the next 24 hours.
Ottawa 7-day snow forecast
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Today | Cloudy3 to 5 °C (37 to 41 °F) · freezing level 500 m (1,600 ft) | No snow |
| Mon | Sunny1 to 6 °C (34 to 43 °F) · freezing level 1,450 m (4,800 ft) | No snow |
| Tue | Some sun1 to 11 °C (34 to 52 °F) · freezing level 2,600 m (8,500 ft) | No snow |
| Wed | Sunny4 to 13 °C (39 to 55 °F) · freezing level 3,000 m (9,800 ft) | No snow |
| Thu | Some sun3 to 12 °C (37 to 54 °F) · freezing level 3,100 m (10,200 ft) | No snow |
| Fri | Cloudy7 to 13 °C (45 to 55 °F) · freezing level 2,150 m (7,100 ft) | No snow |
| Sat | Cloudy4 to 11 °C (39 to 52 °F) · freezing level 2,800 m (9,200 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 22 Nov | Cloudy6 to 11 °C (43 to 52 °F) | No snow |
| Mon 23 Nov | Cloudy2 to 5 °C (36 to 41 °F) | No snow |
| Tue 24 Nov | Some sun1 to 6 °C (34 to 43 °F) | No snow |
| Wed 25 Nov | Some sun1 to 6 °C (34 to 43 °F) | No snow |
| Thu 26 Nov | Sunny0 to 7 °C (32 to 45 °F) | No snow |
| Fri 27 Nov | Cloudy0 to 6 °C (32 to 43 °F) | No snow |
| Sat 28 Nov | Cloudy3 to 8 °C (37 to 46 °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