Ottawa, Canada Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Ottawa
A 30°C spread between its warmest and coolest months puts Ottawa among the more strongly seasonal places we cover. July averages 80°F (27°C) by day; January averages 25°F (-4°C), with nights at 8°F (-13°C).
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 80°F (27°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 25°F (-4°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 96°F (36°C) high · -26°F (-32°C) low
- Wettest month: August (13 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (12.0 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid continental
- Annual swing: 30°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 9°C
- Snow: about 34 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 5
- Average humidity: 73%
Temperatures through the year
July is the brightest month at 12.0 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 8.0 - duller than about 83% of the cities we track. At its warmest, in July, Ottawa runs to 80°F (27°C) in the afternoon and back to 63°F (17°C) by dawn. January bottoms out at 25°F (-4°C) in daylight, 8°F (-13°C) after dark. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 96°F (36°C) and the lowest daily minimum -26°F (-32°C). Between the average July and the average January lie 30°C, a wider spread than 96% of the 3496 cities in our dataset.
Rain, sun and snow
Snow falls on roughly 34 days a year, mostly October through April. Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 5 months, November through March.
How Ottawa compares
- Ottawa averages 45°F (7°C) across the year - cooler than all but 4% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25° | 8° | 11 | 3.0 in | 4.9 h/day | 9.1 h | 36% | 76% |
| February | 28° | 9° | 12 | 2.9 in | 6.1 h/day | 10.3 h | 41% | 73% |
| March | 37° | 20° | 11 | 3.0 in | 7.5 h/day | 11.8 h | 36% | 70% |
| April | 51° | 32° | 13 | 4.2 in | 8.2 h/day | 13.5 h | 42% | 66% |
| May | 67° | 46° | 11 | 3.4 in | 10.4 h/day | 14.9 h | 35% | 66% |
| June | 74° | 56° | 13 | 4.5 in | 10.8 h/day | 15.6 h | 43% | 71% |
| July | 80° | 63° | 13 | 4.2 in | 12.0 h/day | 15.3 h | 41% | 72% |
| August | 77° | 62° | 13 | 4.8 in | 10.8 h/day | 14.1 h | 41% | 76% |
| September | 71° | 55° | 9 | 3.0 in | 9.5 h/day | 12.5 h | 30% | 76% |
| October | 57° | 44° | 12 | 4.1 in | 6.4 h/day | 10.8 h | 37% | 77% |
| November | 43° | 31° | 12 | 3.0 in | 5.0 h/day | 9.4 h | 40% | 76% |
| December | 32° | 20° | 12 | 3.5 in | 3.8 h/day | 8.7 h | 40% | 78% |
Ottawa month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Ottawa's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 4.9 h
- Daylight
- 9.1 h
- Snow
- 8 days
February
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 6.1 h
- Daylight
- 10.3 h
- Snow
- 8 days
March
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 7.5 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 5 days
April
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 8.2 h
- Daylight
- 13.5 h
- Snow
- 2 days
May
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 14.9 h
June
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 15.6 h
July
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 12.0 h
- Daylight
- 15.3 h
August
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 14.1 h
September
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
October
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 6.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.8 h
November
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 5.0 h
- Daylight
- 9.4 h
- Snow
- 3 days
December
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 3.8 h
- Daylight
- 8.7 h
- Snow
- 7 days
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Ottawa
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Ottawa stays firmly cold, with daytime highs averaging 52°F (11°C) and nights around 33°F (0°C); rain falls on around 34 of the 90 days, plus about 8 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer is mild and warm here - highs near 77°F (25°C), nights near 60°F (16°C), and rain falls on around 38 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.2 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Ottawa is crisp but comfortable, with daytime highs averaging 57°F (14°C) and nights around 43°F (6°C); rain falls on around 33 of the 90 days, plus about 4 snowy days.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Ottawa is bitterly cold, with daytime highs averaging 28°F (-2°C) and nights around 12°F (-11°C); rain falls on around 35 of the 90 days, plus about 23 snowy days. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Climate questions, answered
How warm is Ottawa on average?
Is Ottawa warmer or cooler than most cities?
Is Ottawa humid?
What should I wear in Ottawa?
Best time to visit Ottawa
The best time to visit Ottawa is generally May to October, when these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 71°F (22°C), with rain on about 12 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in May.
Pack for Ottawa with a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. Even in July, lows of 63°F (17°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Ottawa temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.