Best time to visit Ottawa, ON, Canada

Our verdict

The best time to visit Ottawa is September-October

If you’re looking to travel to Ottawa for your next trip but aren’t sure when to go and when to avoid, this article is all you’ll need. The best time to visit Ottawa is September-October due to the excellent all-round weather conditions, and it’s also not during the height of peak travel periods, so it’s not likely to be as busy.

During the warmer months, temperatures in Ottawa can rise to a maximum of 27℃ (81℉). In the colder months such as January, temperatures usually get down to an average minimum of -14℃ (6℉).

If you’re a sun-chaser and want to visit Ottawa when the days are longest, you should visit in July. The wet season in Ottawa usually falls during the months surrounding October each year. It’s not uncommon to get some decent rainfall or light showers during this time, but on some days the weather tends to be fine for a majority of the day, with only a few drops of rain falling from a passing shower.

Continue reading to find out more about when to visit Ottawa, including the climate, seasonal info, what to pack, FAQs, and the best tools to help you plan and book your next vacation.

Warmest month

July

Least rainfall

September

Most daylight

July

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Ottawa seasons

Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Ottawa as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Ottawa is in the Northern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Average temperatures in Ottawa

If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Ottawa for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.

Ottawa climate by month

If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Ottawa for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.

Jump to:

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

Ottawa in January

  • Average temperature: -10℃ (14℉)
  • Average high temperature: -6℃ (21℉)
  • Average low temperature: -14℃ (6℉)
  • Average humidity: 91%
  • Average sunny days: 11 days
  • Average rainfall: 64mm (3") over 6 days
  • Average snow days: 20 days
11 days
of pure sunshine
6 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in January, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Ottawa in February

  • Average temperature: -9℃ (17℉)
  • Average high temperature: -5℃ (23℉)
  • Average low temperature: -13℃ (8℉)
  • Average humidity: 91%
  • Average sunny days: 9 days
  • Average rainfall: 57mm (2") over 6 days
  • Average snow days: 19 days
9 days
of pure sunshine
6 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in February, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Ottawa in March

  • Average temperature: -3℃ (27℉)
  • Average high temperature: 1℃ (33℉)
  • Average low temperature: -7℃ (20℉)
  • Average humidity: 87%
  • Average sunny days: 11 days
  • Average rainfall: 59mm (2") over 10 days
  • Average snow days: 14 days
11 days
of pure sunshine
10 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in March, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Ottawa in April

  • Average temperature: 5℃ (41℉)
  • Average high temperature: 9℃ (49℉)
  • Average low temperature: 1℃ (33℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 12 days
  • Average rainfall: 73mm (3") over 15 days
  • Average snow days: 5 days
12 days
of pure sunshine
15 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in April, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Ottawa in May

  • Average temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
  • Average high temperature: 18℃ (64℉)
  • Average low temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
  • Average humidity: 77%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 73mm (3") over 16 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in May, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Ottawa in June

  • Average temperature: 17℃ (62℉)
  • Average high temperature: 22℃ (71℉)
  • Average low temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average humidity: 80%
  • Average sunny days: 12 days
  • Average rainfall: 58mm (2") over 16 days
12 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in June, make sure you pack a coat or jumper for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


Ottawa in July

  • Average temperature: 20℃ (68℉)
  • Average high temperature: 25℃ (77℉)
  • Average low temperature: 14℃ (58℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 12 days
  • Average rainfall: 57mm (2") over 16 days
12 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in July, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.


Ottawa in August

  • Average temperature: 19℃ (66℉)
  • Average high temperature: 24℃ (75℉)
  • Average low temperature: 14℃ (57℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 59mm (2") over 16 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in August, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.


Ottawa in September

  • Average temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
  • Average high temperature: 20℃ (68℉)
  • Average low temperature: 10℃ (50℉)
  • Average humidity: 80%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 54mm (2") over 13 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
13 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in September, make sure you pack a coat or jumper for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.

Ottawa in October

  • Average temperature: 9℃ (47℉)
  • Average high temperature: 12℃ (54℉)
  • Average low temperature: 5℃ (41℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 14 days
  • Average rainfall: 78mm (3") over 15 days
  • Average snow days: 1 days
14 days
of pure sunshine
15 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in October, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Ottawa in November

  • Average temperature: 1℃ (34℉)
  • Average high temperature: 5℃ (40℉)
  • Average low temperature: -2℃ (29℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 56mm (2") over 11 days
  • Average snow days: 7 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
11 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in November, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Ottawa in December

  • Average temperature: -5℃ (23℉)
  • Average high temperature: -3℃ (27℉)
  • Average low temperature: -8℃ (17℉)
  • Average humidity: 87%
  • Average sunny days: 11 days
  • Average rainfall: 66mm (3") over 8 days
  • Average snow days: 17 days
11 days
of pure sunshine
8 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ottawa in December, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Top FAQs

The hottest month of the year in Ottawa is usually July, where temperatures tend to rise to around 25℃ (77℉) in the middle of the day or early afternoon.
The month with the least amount of rain in Ottawa is generally around September. The dry season often coincides with cooler weather, so you should check the temperatures in September first to make sure it’s still a good time to go.
The rainiest time of year in Ottawa is generally around October, although the wetter season can sometimes extend a few months either side of October too.
If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Ottawa, or if you're just afraid of the dark, the days in July are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset.

Ottawa map