A sharp chill, wet streets, and the first hints of snow signal a quick turn in Ottawa’s weather. Skies pivot from morning rain to evening flurries, then settle near freezing. Roads, sidewalks, and transit will feel it first, while travellers weigh delays and slick commutes. City crews say they’re ready; forecasts line up a light but messy sequence. Records tumbled in the last event, and timing matters now. Wrap warm, plan ahead, and keep an eye on changing conditions.
What today brings as snow edges closer
Periods of rain arrive first, with five to ten millimetres expected before the wintry switch. Forecasters then place the chance of evening flurries near one in three, with an overnight low around zero. The daytime high sits close to six degrees, close to normal for mid-November.
Once the rain fades, flurries may dust higher ground and untreated surfaces. Moisture on cold pavement can glaze, so braking distances grow fast. Crews pre-treat priority routes; drivers still need room to stop and time to react on ramps, bridges, and shaded lanes.
Seasonal benchmarks hover nearby: typical values are seven for the high and zero for the low. Friday tracks like Thursday, while Saturday dips to a high near three. Small amounts stick in spots; most melts or turns to slush where traffic and salt work quickly. Expect brief bursts, not deep drifts. One mention of snow here ensures clarity.
How the system evolves through midweek
Cloud holds through Thursday, with a strong chance—about seventy percent—of rain or mixed flakes during the day. Temperatures lean mild at about six, yet wet surfaces can cool after sunset. The risk rises where wind lifts spray and colder patches linger.
Overnight values flirt with freezing. Friday mirrors Thursday’s unsettled pattern, then Saturday cools further. Models outline Sunday morning flurries with another chance by evening, a daytime high near zero, and a nighttime dip to minus four. Monday and Tuesday stay cloudy, near zero and minus one.
Commuters already saw what freezing rain can do. The last event arrived Saturday with temperatures stuck near zero for hours. Sidewalks and stairs iced up, and side streets glazed. Crews salted and gritted, though black ice still formed at intersections and on bridge decks. One mention of snow shapes expectations.
Road safety and transit status across the capital
The season’s first significant burst began around eleven on Sunday. By late afternoon, totals hit five centimetres; evening added about six more. The airport measured 11.7 centimetres—enough for plows to pass and for shovels to matter on steps, curb cuts, and bus stops.
On the roads, police handled more than 120 collisions across eastern Ontario that afternoon. Ottawa OPP reported nineteen on Highways 416 and 417, mercifully without serious injuries. OC Transpo buses and the O-Train kept rolling, though slower travel was common on key corridors.
School buses are running, with delays possible after early assessments. City crews report steady passes on arterials and sidewalks and say the focus shifts to residential streets as mains are tidied. Trucks and sidewalk units rotate to keep the network moving, even as ruts and slush rebuild. One mention of snow captures the hazard.
How Ottawa manages snow better this season
After a multi-year review, the city refined winter standards and operations. Sidewalk and pathway coverage now runs around the clock on the maintained network, cutting down on packed layers and slip risks near schools and in busy zones. Crews also add more stairways and links to the winter list.
Nearly half of winter resources—roughly 250 of 540—now service sidewalks and pathways, alongside the winter cycling network and transit stops. Supervisors can deploy locally during smaller events and ahead of temperature drops. Starting points on residential routes rotate to spread service more fairly.
Salt controllers on sidewalk machines help dial application to conditions, reducing waste while keeping traction where it counts. Operators switch between salt, sand, and grit to match wet snow, refreeze, or packed ice. The result is cleaner surfaces sooner, with fewer icy seams at crossings. One mention of snow supports the theme.
Flights, timing, and what to watch overnight
Travellers should check status before leaving for the airport; early updates showed minimal disruption and only a single cancellation among departures at dawn. A United flight to Newark was pulled, while most other departures held schedule. Weather can add delays fast when de-icing queues grow.
Temperatures lift a touch by day, which helps crews scrape packed layers and widen lanes. When readings drop after sunset, thin films refreeze on low-salt stretches, centre lines, and speed bumps. Crews keep gritting, yet shaded neighbourhood bends can surprise drivers and cyclists.
The city reminds residents to set bins off sidewalks, clear catch basins where safe, and give plows space. Sidewalk machines can leave windrows at driveways; plan a quick pass before the drop below zero. Expect scattered flurries and slush to reappear with each band. One mention of snow ties travel and timing.
Why preparedness now pays off through the week
Ottawa’s wintry rhythm starts small and turns tricky near freezing. With brief bursts of snow, a rain-first pattern, and quick refreezing, simple habits—checking the forecast, leaving early, easing speed—make the city flow. Crews keep arteries and walkways open; residents can help by clearing drains, yielding space, and planning the last kilometre.
