A white Christmas for Ottawa is on the way with another 5 to 10 cm of snow

CTV’s Patricia Boal shares the full local 6 p.m. weather forecast for Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025.

A white Christmas is looking likely for the nation’s capital this year, as the snow that melted last week due to high temperatures returns.

Officially, Ottawa saw 2.2 centimetres of snow at the Ottawa airport on Monday, though the snow-on-ground measurement still read as “trace amounts” according to Environment Canada. But there is still time to build the base back up.

A “white Christmas” is typically defined as having at least two centimetres of snow on the ground by 7 a.m. local time on Dec. 25.

Tuesday’s weather forecast for Ottawa will help bolster those numbers.

A special weather statement is in effect for the capital calling for 5 to 10 cm of snow and a risk of freezing drizzle Tuesday.

“Another Alberta clipper will impact the region beginning this morning. Precipitation is expected to begin as snow and mix with freezing drizzle this afternoon into this evening. The snow and freezing drizzle is expected to end from west east late this afternoon into this evening,” the weather alert says.

While it will make for a picture-perfect Christmas, it will make travel risky.

“Roads and walkways may become icy and slippery. Icy surfaces could be difficult to detect. There may be an impact on rush hour traffic. Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Allow extra time for travel,” Environment Canada says.

Tuesday will see a high of -5 C in the afternoon with a wind chill of -13.

In the evening, expect periods of light snow or freezing drizzle. Overnight is looking cloudy with 40 per cent chance of flurries and a low of -7 C.

The Christmas Eve forecast is mainly cloudy with a 40 per cent chance of flurries and a high of -2 C.

Christmas Day is looking partly sunny with a high of -3 C.

You’ll want to bundle up if you’re lining up for Boxing Day deals on Friday. The forecast low into the morning is -13 C and the high is -11 C.

• Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App