Last updated: May 6, 2024
Under the Köppen–Geiger climate classification Ottawa features a humid continental climate (Dfb).Temperatures typically range between -9 °C (16 °F) and 21 °C (70 °F) through the year, but rarely can drop to -32 °C (-26 °F) or can rise to as high as 35 °C (96 °F).The average annual precipitation amounts to about 1166 mm (45.9 inches) and receives 146 rainy days on the 1 mm (0.04 inches) threshold annually.Ottawa enjoys an average of 2709 hours of sunshine throughout the year, and daylight varies from 8 hours 45 minutes to 15 hours 36 minutes per day.
The warmest months in Ottawa are June, July and August, with daily mean temperatures ranging from 18 to 21 °C (65 - 70 °F) throughout the day. The coldest temperatures usually occur in January, February and December, when daily mean temperatures range from -9 to -5 °C (16 - 22 °F) throughout the day. On average each year, Ottawa experiences 52 days above 25 °C (77.0 °F) and 145 days below 0 °C (32.0 °F).
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum | 10°C (50°F) | 11°C (53°F) | 20°C (69°F) | 27°C (81°F) | 35°C (95°F) | 32°C (91°F) | 35°C (96°F) | 32°C (89°F) | 32°C (90°F) | 27°C (81°F) | 22°C (71°F) | 14°C (58°F) |
Mean maximum | 5°C (40°F) | 7°C (46°F) | 12°C (53°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 30°C (87°F) | 30°C (87°F) | 32°C (90°F) | 30°C (86°F) | 28°C (83°F) | 23°C (74°F) | 14°C (58°F) | 9°C (49°F) |
Average high | -5°C (24°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 10°C (51°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 23°C (74°F) | 27°C (80°F) | 25°C (77°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 14°C (57°F) | 4°C (40°F) | -2°C (29°F) |
Daily mean | -9°C (16°F) | -8°C (18°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 5°C (42°F) | 13°C (56°F) | 18°C (65°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 20°C (68°F) | 15°C (60°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 0°C (33°F) | -5°C (22°F) |
Average low | -13°C (8°F) | -13°C (9°F) | -8°C (19°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 7°C (45°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 11°C (51°F) | 5°C (41°F) | -3°C (26°F) | -9°C (16°F) |
Mean minimum | -27°C (-16°F) | -25°C (-12°F) | -21°C (-6°F) | -7°C (20°F) | -1°C (31°F) | 6°C (44°F) | 10°C (51°F) | 8°C (47°F) | 4°C (39°F) | -2°C (28°F) | -14°C (7°F) | -22°C (-7°F) |
Minimum | -32°C (-26°F) | -27°C (-16°F) | -24°C (-12°F) | -12°C (10°F) | -3°C (26°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 8°C (47°F) | 7°C (45°F) | -0°C (31°F) | -6°C (22°F) | -19°C (-2°F) | -29°C (-20°F) |
Compare temperature, precipitation, sunshine, UV index in Ottawa, Canada with other places around the world.
Ottawa usually has the most precipitation in May, July and October, with an average of 12 rainy days and 121 mm (4.8 inches) of precipitation per month.The driest months in Ottawa are January, September and December. On average, 78 mm (3.1 inches) of precipitation falls during these months.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 76 (3.0) | 81 (3.2) | 87 (3.4) | 112 (4.4) | 117 (4.6) | 98 (3.9) | 114 (4.5) | 94 (3.7) | 79 (3.1) | 132 (5.2) | 97 (3.8) | 80 (3.2) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 9 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 12 |
The sunniest months in Ottawa are June, July and August, when the sun shines an average of 10 hours 37 minutes a day.Least sunny months in Ottawa: January, November and December receive an average of 4 hours 7 minutes of sunshine daily.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 111 | 156 | 234 | 226 | 278 | 314 | 347 | 315 | 266 | 189 | 141 | 126 |
Mean daily daylight hours | 9h 9m | 10h 23m | 11h 57m | 13h 33m | 14h 55m | 15h 36m | 15h 13m | 14h 0m | 12h 28m | 10h 52m | 9h 28m | 8h 45m |
Ottawa experiences the highest level of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in April, May and June, when the maximum UV index can reach values of 8 - 9, which corresponds to the Very High category of sun exposure.January, November and December are in the Low / Moderate exposure category. In these months, the maximum values of the UV index do not exceed 3. For more detailed information, check out our hourly Ottawa UV Index data.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
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UV Index (month maximum) | 2 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 |