Did someone say spring? No, it’s February, really. We’re about to hit record high temperatures, rain and even the possibility of thunderstorms over the next two days. Get your rain gear out, Ottawa; it’s going to be wet! But keep the parkas close -the temperature is expected to drastically drop tomorrow night.
Forecast and conditions
Environment Canada has issued a Flash Freeze Warning for the Ottawa Region on Wednesday evening. A dramatic change in temperatures is expected with a sharp cold front moving in. Temperatures are expected to go from well above freezing to below freezing in just a matter of a few hours. This cold front will cause slippery conditions.
Rain showers are expected to begin this evening and intensify overnight, with the heaviest rainfall forecasted on Wednesday morning and total amounts between 15 to 20 millimetres by Wednesday afternoon. Then the forecast is expected to shift significantly. Winds move in, with gusts of 40 to 60 kilometres per hour possible, and air temperatures plummet to a nighttime low of minus 15, pushing rain over to light snow with a potential for flash freeze conditions.
If you are out travelling, please adjust to the conditions of the transportation network and allow extra space for our vehicles to work.
Our response
The Roads and Parking Services Team is on the job! Given the duration of this event, supervisors will monitor the forecast and road conditions as the weather changes over the next couple of days. As the rain changes to light snow, crews will be deployed to treat our sidewalks, priority roads, and the winter cycling network.
Given the amount of rain expected, supervisors will also monitor areas that are prone to localized flooding and address any water pooling through ensuring that catch basins and ditches are open and able to take in water.
In the meantime, we are asking for anyone who can to please ensure that your local catch basin is clear and able to take in water. With over 100,000 catch basins in the City, we cannot do it alone and would appreciate any support you can offer.
Find your nearest catch basin using our catch basin locator map. Need to report a blocked catch basin? Let us know!
Next Steps
The Roads and Parking Services Team will continue to monitor the weather over the next 48 hours and unless the forecast changes significantly, this will serve as the operational update for this event.
We appreciate your patience as we work together on addressing these changing conditions.
