Month guide · Ottawa · Canada
Ottawa in February
What February is really like in Ottawa: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ajadams94, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
February is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of -4°C (25°F), lows of -13°C (9°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 10.3 hours of daylight. Still deep winter, but sunnier; Winterlude brings ice sculptures, snow slides and skating events.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- -4°C (25°F) / -13°C (9°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 10.3 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in February
February is the 11th-warmest month in Ottawa: days average -4°C (25°F) against a yearly average high of 11°C (52°F), and nights fall to about -13°C (9°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 28 days. Compared with January (-6°C (21°F)), February is warmer; by March highs climb to around 2°C (36°F).
- Sunrise (15 February)
- About 07:05
- Sunset (15 February)
- About 17:30
- Daylight
- About 10.3 hours
Winter (December–February). Long, snowy and very cold, but with canal skating, Winterlude and cross-country skiing minutes from downtown.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, February rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in February
- Winterlude — winter festival in Ottawa and Gatineau (usually the first three weekends of February)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in February
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Museum · Alta Vista
Ingenium – Canada Science and Technology Museum
Rebuilt and reopened in 2017, the science museum has hands-on galleries on space, medicine and sound, a hall of steam locomotives and the Crazy Kitchen, a tilted room that plays tricks on your balance.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Historic site · ByWard Market and Lowertown
Royal Canadian Mint
Book a tour on a weekday to see the production floor in operation.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Historic site · Carp
Diefenbunker
About 35 km west of downtown, this four-storey underground Cold War bunker was built to shelter the Canadian government in a nuclear war.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Landmark · Downtown and Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Choose the West Block tour to see the temporary House of Commons chamber built inside the building's glass-roofed former courtyard.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours with a tour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Free
What to pack
For highs near -4°C, lows near -13°C and 10 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is February a good time to visit Ottawa?
A shoulder-season month, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, May–June and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Ottawa in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is February a good time to visit Ottawa?
It is a shoulder-season month. Still deep winter, but sunnier; Winterlude brings ice sculptures, snow slides and skating events.
+How warm is Ottawa in February?
Average highs are around -4°C (25°F) and lows around -13°C (9°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Ottawa in February?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.