National Capital Region by SPOT Satellite in 2003This is the outline of the geography of the city of Ottawa Regional Municipality of Ottawa–Carleton . Ottawa is now a single-tiered census division , home to 1,017,449 people.[ 1]
The city centre is located at the confluence of the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers . The Ottawa River forms the entire northern boundary of the city which it shares with the province of Quebec's municipalities of Pontiac and Gatineau . The northern boundary begins in the west at Arnprior and continues east to Rockland . The boundary then turns south in a straight line, separating the former Township of Cumberland (now in Ottawa) and the City of Clarence-Rockland . It then turns west in another straight line separating the former Township of Cumberland with the municipalities of The Nation and Russell . It then turns south separating Russell from the former Township of Osgoode (now in Ottawa). That boundary runs south in a straight line, then turns west separating Osgoode from the municipality of North Dundas . That boundary runs west in a straight line before turning north separating Osgoode from the municipality of North Grenville . This is another straight line, running north until the Rideau River near Kemptville . The boundary follows the river upstream until almost reaching Merrickville . The boundary then runs in a northwest direction in a straight line with a number of jogs. It separates the municipalities of Montague , Beckwith and Mississippi Mills from the former townships of Marlborough , Goulbourn , Huntley and Fitzroy .
Topography
The highest point in Ottawa is 166 m (545 ft) above sea level, and is located 2.6 km (1.6 mi) SSE of Manion Corners (45°14′05″N 76°03′03″W / 45.23472°N 76.05083°W / 45.23472; -76.05083 (Ottawa high point ) [ 2]
Highest points by ward
Map of Ottawa showing urban area, highways, waterways, and historic townships
Geology
Stromatolite strata near Champlain Bridge Mer Bleue bog Burnt Lands Alvar Many features of geologic interest are found in Ottawa.[ 3]
Climate
Classification
Recent data
Climate data for Ottawa (Central Experimental Farm ), elevation: 79.2 m (260 ft), 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1872–present[ a]
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
15.6
12.7
26.7
31.2
35.2
36.7
37.8
37.8
36.7
29.4
23.3
17.2
37.8
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
−5.8
−3.1
2.4
11.4
19.0
24.1
26.6
25.4
20.5
12.8
5.5
−2.0
11.4
Daily mean °C (°F)
−10.2
−7.9
−2.2
6.5
13.5
18.7
21.2
19.9
15.3
8.4
2.0
−5.6
6.6
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
−14.4
−12.5
−6.8
1.5
8.0
13.3
15.7
14.5
10.1
4.0
−1.5
−9.2
1.9
Record low °C (°F)
−37.8
−38.3
−36.7
−20.6
−7.2
0.0
3.3
1.1
−4.4
−12.8
−30.6
−38.9
−38.9
Average precipitation mm (inches)
62.9
49.7
57.5
71.1
86.6
92.7
84.4
83.8
92.7
85.9
82.7
69.5
919.5
Average rainfall mm (inches)
23.0
17.9
28.8
63.2
86.6
92.7
84.4
83.8
92.7
83.1
67.5
31.9
755.5
Average snowfall cm (inches)
44.3
34.7
29.1
7.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.9
16.0
41.3
175.4
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)
16.0
11.7
11.5
13.2
14.5
12.4
11.6
11.2
12.9
14.9
15.2
15.6
160.7
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)
3.7
3.5
5.5
11.5
14.4
12.4
11.6
11.2
12.9
14.6
11.6
5.5
118.3
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)
14.1
9.7
7.4
2.7
0.08
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.81
5.1
12.2
52.0
Mean monthly sunshine hours
99.3
131.3
167.1
189.8
229.8
254.2
279.0
249.3
177.6
139.4
84.3
82.6
2,083.7
Percent possible sunshine
35.0
44.9
45.3
46.9
49.9
54.3
58.9
57.1
47.1
41.0
29.4
30.3
45.0
Average ultraviolet index
1
2
3
5
6
8
7
7
5
3
1
1
4
Source: Environment Canada [ 7] [ 8] [ 9] [ 10] [ 11] [ 12] [ 13] [ 14] [ 15] [ 16]
Climate data for Ottawa (Ottawa International Airport ), elevation: 114 m (374 ft), 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1938–present
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high humidex
13.9
15.1
30.0
35.1
41.8
44.0
47.2
47.0
42.5
33.9
26.1
18.4
47.2
Record high °C (°F)
12.9
12.4
27.4
31.1
35.8
36.1
36.7
37.8
35.1
27.8
23.9
17.9
37.8
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
−5.8
−3.4
2.5
11.6
19.0
24.1
26.5
25.3
20.4
12.7
5.4
−2.3
11.3
Daily mean °C (°F)
−10.3
−8.1
−2.3
6.3
13.3
18.5
21.0
19.8
15.0
8.0
1.5
−6.2
6.4
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
−14.8
−12.7
−7.0
1.0
7.5
12.9
15.5
14.3
9.6
3.3
−2.4
−10.1
1.4
Record low °C (°F)
−35.6
−36.1
−30.6
−16.7
−5.6
−0.1
5.0
2.6
−3.0
−8.0
−21.7
−34.4
−36.1
Record low wind chill
−47.8
−47.6
−42.7
−26.3
−10.9
0.0
0.0
0.0
−6.4
−13.3
−29.5
−44.6
−47.8
Average precipitation mm (inches)
65.4
54.3
64.4
74.5
80.3
92.8
91.9
85.5
90.1
86.1
81.9
76.4
943.4
Average rainfall mm (inches)
25.0
18.7
31.1
63.0
80.1
92.8
91.9
85.5
90.1
82.2
64.5
33.5
758.2
Average snowfall cm (inches)
53.9
43.3
38.3
11.3
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
3.7
20.2
52.5
223.5
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)
16.6
13.1
12.7
12.4
13.4
13.2
11.9
11.0
12.3
14.3
15.2
17.4
163.6
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)
4.4
3.9
6.7
10.9
13.4
13.2
11.9
11.0
12.3
13.7
11.0
6.0
118.4
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)
16.1
12.1
8.8
3.5
0.17
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.1
6.8
14.7
63.3
Average relative humidity (%)
67.5
61.3
56.6
50.2
49.9
53.1
53.7
55.0
59.1
61.6
68.1
72.2
59.0
Mean monthly sunshine hours
122.4
114.1
168.5
187.5
210.5
274.0
301.4
231.9
211.5
148.8
92.4
68.8
2,131.7
Percent possible sunshine
43.1
39.0
45.7
46.3
45.7
58.6
63.7
53.1
56.1
43.7
32.2
25.2
46.0
Source: Environment Canada [ 17] [ 18] [ 19] [ 20] [ 21] [ 22]
Notes
^ Extreme high and low temperatures in the table below were recorded at Ottawa from March 1872 to October 1889 and at Ottawa CDA from November 1889 to present.
Historical data
Climate data for Ottawa (Central Experimental Farm ), elevation: 79 m (259 ft), 1961-1990 normals
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
−6.4
−4.5
1.8
10.8
18.6
23.6
26.4
24.7
19.7
12.8
4.8
−3.6
10.7
Daily mean °C (°F)
−10.7
−9.2
−2.6
5.9
13.0
18.1
20.8
19.4
14.7
8.3
1.5
−7.2
6.0
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
−15.1
−14.0
−7.1
0.9
7.3
12.5
15.3
14.1
9.6
3.8
−1.9
−11.0
1.2
Average precipitation mm (inches)
50.8
49.7
56.6
64.8
76.8
84.3
86.5
87.8
83.6
74.7
81.0
72.9
869.5
Average rainfall mm (inches)
14.1
14.7
30.0
57.8
76.2
84.3
86.5
87.8
83.6
71.8
64.1
29.5
700.4
Average snowfall cm (inches)
46.1
41.0
27.2
6.7
0.6
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.9
19.1
53.9
197.5
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)
15
12
12
12
13
13
12
12
13
13
15
16
158
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)
3
3
6
11
13
13
12
12
13
13
11
5
115
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)
14
11
7
2
trace
0
0
0
0
trace
5
14
53
Mean monthly sunshine hours
103.4
129.2
158.7
188.1
232.5
253.0
279.0
240.5
170.0
137.9
81.9
80.1
2,054.3
Source: Environment Canada [ 23]
Climate data for Ottawa (Ottawa International Airport ), elevation: 116 m (381 ft), 1938-1990 normals
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
−6.3
−4.6
1.8
10.8
18.6
23.6
26.4
24.6
19.6
12.8
4.7
−3.7
10.7
Daily mean °C (°F)
−10.8
−9.2
−2.7
5.6
12.8
17.9
20.8
19.2
14.3
7.9
1.0
−7.6
5.8
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
−15.5
−14.0
−7.3
0.3
7.1
12.2
15.1
13.7
8.9
3.0
−2.8
−11.7
0.8
Average precipitation mm (inches)
58.0
58.6
64.8
69.0
76.4
76.9
88.1
92.0
82.9
74.8
86.4
82.5
910.4
Average rainfall mm (inches)
15.3
16.4
32.0
58.0
74.8
76.9
88.1
92.0
82.9
70.3
62.5
32.6
701.8
Average snowfall cm (inches)
49.6
45.2
32.3
9.1
1.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
4.1
24.2
55.8
221.5
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)
16
13
13
12
13
12
11
11
12
13
16
18
160
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)
3
3
7
10
12
12
11
11
12
12
11
6
110
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)
15
12
9
3
trace
0
0
0
0
1
8
16
64
Average relative humidity (%)
71
68
66
61
61
66
67
71
74
73
77
77
69
Source: Environment Canada [ 24]
Rivers and creeks
The Mississippi River . The Rideau River is one of the two main rivers in Ottawa The Ottawa River outside of Parliament Hill . Tributaries of the Ottawa River (from east to west):
The Jock River Tributaries of the Rideau River (from north to south):
Other rivers and creeks within City of Ottawa:
Features of the Ottawa River
Kìwekì Point Chaudière Falls (from east to west)
Features of the Rideau River
Rideau Falls (from north to south)
Waterfalls
Lakes
Brewer Park Pond
References
External links
History Geography Culture Public services Education Government Transportation and Features
