Ottawa wakes up to a clear but chilly start on Friday, October 9, with a gusty northwest wind and a 40 percent chance of showers later in the day. A warming trend then builds through the weekend, with Sunday reaching 22°C.
Right now
At 5:11 a.m., Environment and Climate Change Canada reports mainly clear skies at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. The temperature is 4.4°C, just under the seasonal normal low of 5°C for today. Humidity is 95 percent, and the wind is out of the west-southwest at 12 km/h, gusting to 37.
What today holds
Friday brings a mix of sun and cloud with a 40 percent chance of showers. The wind becomes northwest at 30 km/h, gusting to 50 near noon, so the gusts being measured this morning are a preview of a breezy day. The high is 14°C, which matches the seasonal normal. The UV index is 3, or moderate.
Sunrise is at 7:11 a.m. and sunset is at 6:29 p.m.
Tonight
Tonight is partly cloudy, clearing late this evening, with a low of 2°C. That is a few degrees under the seasonal normal low of 5°C, so the evening will feel noticeably cooler once the clouds break up.
The weekend
Saturday looks like the pick of the weekend for sunshine. Expect sunny skies, a high of 14°C and a UV index of 4, or moderate. Saturday night turns cloudy with periods of cloud and a low of 8°C.
Sunday is a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 22°C, well above the seasonal normal of 14°C and eight degrees warmer than Friday and Saturday. Sunday night stays cloudy with a low of 12°C.
Getting around
No weather warnings, watches or statements are in effect for Ottawa this morning.
The main thing to plan around today is the wind. With gusts of up to 50 km/h near noon and a 40 percent chance of showers, it is worth checking conditions before heading out, especially if you are walking or cycling. The showers are not expected to be steady, but the combination of wind and a passing shower can make an exposed stretch feel colder than the 14°C afternoon high suggests.
Tonight's low of 2°C means a cold start to Saturday morning, even though the afternoon is forecast to be sunny. Dressing in layers is the simplest way to handle the swing between the early hours and the afternoon.
By Sunday, the 22°C high makes for a much milder day outdoors, and the cloudy, 12°C night that follows is a sharp contrast to the single-digit overnight temperatures at the start of this stretch.
Weather information is from Environment and Climate Change Canada.
