Flash freeze Thursday night as temperatures plummet
Posted Mar 6, 2025 09:48:43 AM.
Last Updated Mar 6, 2025 09:49:24 AM.
The 25 millimetres of rain that fell across the nation’s capital on Wednesday will likely be ice by Friday morning.
Environment Canada is calling for a flash freeze over much of the province, including portions of Quebec, as temperatures drop rapidly overnight Thursday.
“Icy and slippery conditions are expected to develop as temperatures rapidly fall below the freezing mark,” the weather agency says.
Highways, sidewalks and roads that are wet will become sheer ice.
Thursday starts off mild, with a chance of drizzle and rain showers throughout the morning and into the afternoon. Althought Environment Canada warns, as the day progresses wind gusts will increase and temperatures will plummet.
By early evening it is expected to be around -8 C but overnight wind chills will drop the temperature to -17 C.
The cold is expected to persist Friday morning with wind chills of -14 C.
It seems winter is giving Ottawa, and the Rideau Canal, one last hurrah.
The National Capital Commission has largely paused skating over the last week and a half due to the warmer temperatures. However, the organization said it hopes that the return of the cold will allow it to reopen the skateway.
About 4.5 kilometres of the canal opened for a few days due to a brief cold period early in the week.
