AI-generatedOttawa at a glance
- Best time
- May – Sep
- Warmest month
- Jul · 26°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,990 h
- Rain a year
- 1,033 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC−5 / UTC−4
- Elevation
- 71 m
Climate in Ottawa
Ottawa has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 26 °C, while January is the coolest at −5 °C. With around 1,990 hours of sunshine a year, Ottawa is moderately sunny; July is the sunniest month with 8.0 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Fair
Best time to visit: May – September
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 7°
- Midday, 13:00: about 13°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 13°
- Evening, 20:00: about 10°
- Night, 23:00: about 8°
07:1718:20
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 06:59–07:57 · evening 17:39–18:38
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:47–06:59 · evening 18:38–18:49
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
What is the weather like in Ottawa in October?
In October, Ottawa is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 98 mm in total. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Ottawa.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 2 min07:17 – 18:20
- UV index
- 3 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 16 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 64 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−4America/Toronto
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %53 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %20 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %45 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sunshine hours in Ottawa
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 4.2 of 11.0 hours of daylight in Ottawa, 38 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Ottawa
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 3 · moderateAround midday seek shade; use sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 9).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 45 min
- Fair skin
- about 55 min
- Light brown skin
- about 80 min
- Olive skin
- about 100 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Rain in Ottawa: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Ottawa has about 12 rainy days with 98 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Ottawa
How breezy and how cloudy Ottawa is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Ottawa typically peaks at 16 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, light breeze.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 64 % of the sky over Ottawa: variable cloud, with about 4.2 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Heat and humidity in Ottawa
How often the day gets hot in Ottawa (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.
Heat calendar
- pleasant
- some hot or muggy days
- often muggy
- often hot
- hot and muggy
In October, Ottawa has about 0 hot days, with an average daytime high of 13 °C: pleasant. Heat plays no part this month.
Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year
Snow in Ottawa
When Ottawa is likely to be white: the chance of seeing snow during a week's stay, the days with fresh snow and how much falls. Tap a month to select it.
Snow calendar
- hardly any
- possible
- likely
- very likely
In October, it hardly ever snows in Ottawa.
Snow days bring at least 1 cm of fresh snow. Fresh snow comes from ERA5 snowfall (1996–2025) at the height of the place, not on the slopes above it; the snow chance also weighs whether the snow settles. An estimate from climate averages, not a snow report.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Ottawa
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Frost below 0°
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
- Pleasant 15–20°
ColdOctober: nights around 6°. The room should be heated.
The coolest nights are in January (−14°), the warmest in July (17°). Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) from July to August. Nights fall below 8 °C on average from October to April, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 18 | −5° | −14° | 3.4 h | 10 | 69 |
| FebruaryFeb | 23 | −3° | −12° | 4.4 h | 10 | 61 |
| MarchMar | 23 | 3° | −7° | 5.4 h | 11 | 74 |
| AprilApr | 39 | 11° | 1° | 6.2 h | 12 | 98 |
| MayMay | 77 | 19° | 8° | 7.1 h | 12 | 90 |
| JuneJun | 78 | 23° | 14° | 7.7 h | 12 | 103 |
| JulyJul | 79 | 26° | 17° | 8.0 h | 12 | 100 |
| AugustAug | 80 | 25° | 16° | 7.2 h | 11 | 96 |
| SeptemberSep | 78 | 21° | 13° | 6.0 h | 10 | 85 |
| OctoberOct | 44 | 13° | 6° | 4.2 h | 12 | 98 |
| NovemberNov | 15 | 6° | −1° | 3.1 h | 11 | 77 |
| DecemberDec | 12 | −1° | −8° | 2.5 h | 12 | 83 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
45.41° N, 75.70° W · 71 m · America/Toronto
Best time to visit Ottawa
The best time to visit Ottawa is from May to September. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable in May and from August to September. Rain is most frequent from June to July and in December; the wettest month is June with 103 mm.
Ottawa through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Ottawa in spring
Mar – May
Fair
- 3–19 °C by day
- 6 h of sun a day
- 34 rainy days in all
Ottawa in summer
Jun – Aug
Good
- 23–26 °C by day
- 8 h of sun a day
- 35 rainy days in all
Ottawa in autumn
Sep – Nov
Fair
- 6–21 °C by day
- 4 h of sun a day
- 33 rainy days in all
Ottawa in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- -5–-1 °C by day
- 3 h of sun a day
- 32 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Ottawa for you.
Your best months: June, August – September
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Ottawa
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
August has the better holiday weather in Ottawa: score 80 against 44. In August, days are 12 °C warmer than in October. August has one rainy day fewer. The sun shines 3 hours longer a day in August.
| Month | October | August |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 44 | 80better |
| Day high | 13° | 25° |
| Night low | 6° | 16° |
| Sunshine | 4.2 h | 7.2 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 12 | 11better |
| Rainfall | 98 mm | 96 mm |
| Muggy days | 0better | 6 |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
May, Aug – Sep
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Jun – Jul, Dec
12 or more rainy days
Snow
Nov – Apr
Snow on 2 or more days
Ottawa month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
18January-5° · 3 h
In January, Ottawa is freezing cold: daytime highs average −5 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−14 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 10 days, totalling 69 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in January23February-3° · 4 h
In February, Ottawa is freezing cold: daytime highs average −3 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−12 °C). Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 10 days, totalling 61 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in February23March3° · 5 h
In March, Ottawa is freezing cold: daytime highs average 3 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−7 °C). Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 11 days, totalling 74 mm. Snow falls on about 5 days. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in March39April11° · 6 h
In April, Ottawa is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 1 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 98 mm in total. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in April77May19° · 7 h
In May, Ottawa is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 90 mm in total. All in all, May is a good month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in May78June23° · 8 h
In June, Ottawa is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 103 mm in total. All in all, June is a good month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in June79July26° · 8 h
In July, Ottawa is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 100 mm in total. All in all, July is a good month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in July80August25° · 7 h
In August, Ottawa is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 96 mm in total. All in all, August is an excellent month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in August78September21° · 6 h
In September, Ottawa is mild: daytime highs average 21 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 85 mm in total. All in all, September is a good month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in September44October13° · 4 h
In October, Ottawa is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 98 mm in total. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in October15November6° · 3 h
In November, Ottawa is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−1 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 77 mm in total. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in November12December-1° · 3 h
In December, Ottawa is freezing cold: daytime highs average −1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−8 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 12 days, totalling 83 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Ottawa.
Ottawa in DecemberOttawa compared
Put Ottawa side by side with another destination.
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Ottawa vs. Mont-Tremblant
In October Ottawa has the better holiday weather (score 44 vs. 29). During the day Mont-Tremblant is 2 °C cooler than Ottawa.
| in October | Ottawa | Mont-Tremblant |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 44 | 29 |
| Daytime high | 13° | 11° |
| Sunshine | 4 h | 4 h |
| Rainy days | 12 | 13 |
| Best time | May – Sep | May – Sep |
Through the year
Canada in October: the best places
In October, Ottawa ranks 8 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Hamilton15°53
- 2Toronto14°52
- 3Niagara-on-the-Lake15°51
- 4Niagara Falls15°51
- 5London15°50
- 6Halifax14°14°49
- 7Collingwood (Blue Mountains)13°47
- 8OttawaThis page13°44
Planning a trip to Ottawa
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Ottawa in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Ottawa has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 80) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 15).
- 34
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 8 °C by day
- 6.0 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 77
May half-term
May – Jun
Good
- 20 °C by day
- 7.2 h of sun a day
- 12 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 80
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
ExcellentBest holidays
- 25 °C by day
- 7.5 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 44
October half-term
Oct
Fair
- 13 °C by day
- 4.2 h of sun a day
- 12 rainy days a month
- 15
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- −3 °C by day
- 3.0 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 6 h 55 min
- Distance
- 5,340 km
- Time zone
- UTC−4
- Jet lag
- About 3 days (5 h west)
Rule of thumb for flying west: for a few days before, stay up a little later, and get afternoon and evening light at your destination.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Ottawa
When is the best time to visit Ottawa?
The best time to visit Ottawa is from May to September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Ottawa?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 26 °C and nights around 17 °C. January is the coolest month at −5 °C.
When does it rain most in Ottawa?
Rain is most frequent from June to July and in December; the wettest month is June with 103 mm. The driest month is February with 61 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Ottawa get?
Ottawa gets around 1,990 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 8.0 hours a day; in December there are 2.5 hours a day.
What time zone is Ottawa in?
Ottawa uses the time zone America/Toronto: UTC−5 in January and UTC−4 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Ottawa?
A nonstop flight from London to Ottawa takes about 6 h 55 min, for a straight-line distance of about 5,340 km.
Which school holidays are best for Ottawa?
Ottawa has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 80) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 15). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 34, May half-term 77, Summer holidays 80, October half-term 44, Christmas holidays 15.
Near Ottawa
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Ottawa
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Ottawa's – good alternatives.