Best time to visit Ottawa
The best time to visit Ottawa is May and September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -4.8 °C / 23 °F | -13.7 °C / 7 °F | 72 mm / 2.8 in | neither best nor good |
| February | -3.4 °C / 26 °F | -13.3 °C / 8 °F | 65 mm / 2.5 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 2.8 °C / 37 °F | -7 °C / 19 °F | 75 mm / 2.9 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 11.2 °C / 52 °F | 0.9 °C / 34 °F | 101 mm / 4 in | good month |
| May | 19.4 °C / 67 °F | 7.8 °C / 46 °F | 92 mm / 3.6 in | best month |
| June | 23.3 °C / 74 °F | 12.6 °C / 55 °F | 103 mm / 4.1 in | good month |
| July | 26 °C / 79 °F | 15.4 °C / 60 °F | 102 mm / 4 in | good month |
| August | 24.7 °C / 76 °F | 14.4 °C / 58 °F | 100 mm / 3.9 in | good month |
| September | 20.8 °C / 69 °F | 10 °C / 50 °F | 83 mm / 3.3 in | best month |
| October | 13.3 °C / 56 °F | 4.3 °C / 40 °F | 103 mm / 4 in | good month |
| November | 5.2 °C / 41 °F | -2.3 °C / 28 °F | 73 mm / 2.9 in | neither best nor good |
| December | -1.6 °C / 29 °F | -8.5 °C / 17 °F | 91 mm / 3.6 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: best
- JJune: good
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May, September
- Good
- April, June–August, October
Late spring and September are Ottawa's best for exploring outdoors, with April, June, July, August and October all good despite hot, humid or heavy-rain stretches; the icy, dark winters from November through March leave little reason to be outside.
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 65%, relative humidity 64%.
Against: feels like (high) 7.6 °C / 46 °F, wet days 12.2 days, days with heavy rain 3.7 days, precipitation 101 mm / 4 in, average daily high 11.2 °C / 52 °F, average daily low 0.9 °C / 34 °F.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.7 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 19.4 °C / 67 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 69%, relative humidity 65%, average daily low 7.8 °C / 46 °F.
Against: wet days 11.9 days, precipitation 92 mm / 3.6 in, days with heavy rain 3 days.
Also on: Great Glebe Garage Sale, The Tulip Festival, Weekend Bikedays.
June · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.5 °C / 74 °F, average daily high 23.3 °C / 74 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 71%, average daily low 12.6 °C / 55 °F, relative humidity 71%.
Against: wet days 12.6 days, precipitation 103 mm / 4.1 in, days with heavy rain 3.5 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 43%.
Also on: Bluesfest, Changing of the Guard, Doors Open Ottawa, Ferrari Festival, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Ottawa Jazz Festival, Ottawa Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival, The Fringe Festival, Weekend Bikedays.
July · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 80%, average daily low 15.4 °C / 60 °F.
Against: wet days 12.2 days, precipitation 102 mm / 4 in, days with heavy rain 3.3 days, relative humidity 74%, feels like (high) 27.4 °C / 81 °F, average daily high 26 °C / 79 °F, share of rain falling in the daytime 47%.
Also on: Bluesfest, Canada Day celebrations, Changing of the Guard, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, The Fringe Festival, Weekend Bikedays.
Watch out for: Canada Day crowds.
August · good
In its favour: average daily high 24.7 °C / 76 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, average daily low 14.4 °C / 58 °F.
Against: wet days 11.3 days, precipitation 100 mm / 3.9 in, relative humidity 77%, days with heavy rain 3.3 days, feels like (high) 25.6 °C / 78 °F, share of rain falling in the daytime 43%.
Also on: Bluesfest, Changing of the Guard, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, The Fringe Festival, Weekend Bikedays.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 20.4 °C / 69 °F, average daily high 20.8 °C / 69 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 73%, days with heavy rain 2.8 days, average daily low 10 °C / 50 °F.
Against: relative humidity 79%, wet days 9.8 days, precipitation 83 mm / 3.3 in.
Also on: Ottawa International Animation Festival, Weekend Bikedays.
October · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 60%, average daily high 13.3 °C / 56 °F, average daily low 4.3 °C / 40 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 10.8 °C / 51 °F, wet days 11.9 days, precipitation 103 mm / 4 in, days with heavy rain 3.5 days, sunshine per day 6.6 h, relative humidity 78%.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Mont Ste. Marie, 59 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -9.4 °C | -8.2 °C | -1.7 °C | 7.6 °C | 17.7 °C | 23.5 °C | 27.4 °C | 25.6 °C | 20.4 °C | 10.8 °C | 1.5 °C | -6 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 2.3 days | 1.9 days | 2.8 days | 3.7 days | 3 days | 3.5 days | 3.3 days | 3.3 days | 2.8 days | 3.5 days | 1.9 days | 2.8 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 7 am | 1 pm | 10 am | 8 pm | 6 pm | 3 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 12 pm | 2 am | 4 am |
| Sunshine per day | 5.3 h | 6.6 h | 8.1 h | 8.7 h | 10.2 h | 11.1 h | 12.2 h | 11.1 h | 9.1 h | 6.6 h | 5.3 h | 4 h |
| Relative humidity | 78% | 74% | 68% | 64% | 65% | 71% | 74% | 77% | 79% | 78% | 78% | 81% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 4.7 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ | 7.9 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 12.1 µg/m³ | 8.6 µg/m³ | 7.7 µg/m³ | 5.7 µg/m³ | 4.7 µg/m³ | 5.4 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 9.1 µg/m³ | 12.8 µg/m³ | 14.1 µg/m³ | 14.2 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 26.7 µg/m³ | 19.2 µg/m³ | 14.4 µg/m³ | 13.1 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 9.2 µg/m³ | 9.9 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Rideau Canal Skateway
January and February
- Winterlude
1–14 February
- Maple syrup season
March
- International Film Festival of Ottawa
March
- Ottawa Black Film Festival
22–31 March
- The Tulip Festival
May
- Great Glebe Garage Sale
25–31 May, dates vary from year to year
- Weekend Bikedays
18 May–7 September, dates vary from year to year
- Ottawa Jazz Festival
22–30 June
- Ottawa Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival
22–30 June
- Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival
June, July and August
- Bluesfest
June, July and August
- The Fringe Festival
June, July and August
- Ferrari Festival
June
- Changing of the Guard
22 June–31 August
- Doors Open Ottawa
1–7 June, dates vary from year to year
- Canada Day celebrations
1 July
- Ottawa International Animation Festival
September
Worth knowing before you go
- Canada Day crowds
1 July