Ottawa

Freezing rain warnings end across eastern Ontario, western Quebec

Most of the Ottawa-Gatineau region expected its first significant freezing rainfall of the season Monday night and Tuesday morning. There are not widespread school bus cancellations.

No widespread school bus cancellations

People walk in a city on an autumn morning. They have hoods and umbrellas up to protect against rain.
People walk through rain on downtown Ottawa on Tuesday. (Francis Ferland/CBC)

Most of the Ottawa-Gatineau region expected its first significant freezing rainfall of the season Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Environment Canada issued a freezing rain warning for communities between Gatineau and Gracefield, Que., on Monday morning. Freezing rain could fall for several hours starting Tuesday morning into early afternoon.

On Monday afternoon, the weather agency issued two more warnings covering the Ontario side of the Ottawa River, upgrading earlier weather statements.

Freezing rain was expected to hit a swath stretching roughly from Hawkesbury to Renfrew overnight, changing to rain Tuesday morning.

In most of Renfrew County, a few millimetres of freezing rain was expected overnight, followed by a few centimetres of snow.

A sliver of the region along the St. Lawrence River from Brockville going east got its own special weather statement early Monday afternoon about the possibility of freezing rain and the idea the ground is too warm for it to stick much.

These alerts started to lift mid-morning Tuesday and were all done by around noon.

WATCH | Are you ready for when winter weather comes?

Are people in Ottawa ready for winter weather?

2 days ago
Duration 1:22
Environment Canada is forecasting some wintry weather ahead. After a warm and dry fall, we asked people in Ottawa if they're prepared for it.

English school buses are cancelled Tuesday in the Madawaska and North Hastings areas and some agencies mentioned the possibility individual routes could be affected by slippery roads.

Ontario and Quebec interactive travel maps suggested around 9:30 a.m. highways were slippery around Pembroke, Maniwaki and Val-des-Bois.

Freezing rain coats a guardrail and road as a truck drives by.
Freezing rain in Chelsea, Que., late Tuesday morning. (CBC)

Tuesday's high in Ottawa is expected to be 5 C.

There's a slight chance of flurries later in the week. The Ottawa International Airport reported a trace of snow on Oct. 27, but none has stuck around in the capital.

The current forecast for Maniwaki, Que., calls for a mix of snow, rain and freezing rain starting early Tuesday. The Kingston, Ont., area is expecting rain overnight then a chance of showers in the day.