It may be more of wet and windy Christmas in the Capital this year instead of a white one.
Environment Canada is forecasting periods of rain, patchy fog and even thunderstorms for parts of Eastern Ontario on Christmas Eve, with gusty winds persisting into Christmas Day.
CTV Ottawa’s weather anchor JJ Clarke says we can also expect much milder temperatures this year, with a predicted high of around 3 on Christmas Day, compared to -17 last Christmas.
“On Christmas we'll see rain changing to flurries, and don't expect much in the way of accumulation, the ground will be pretty wet,” said JJ Clarke. “It's going to be very blustery too with strong winds out of the Northwest.”
Ice on the Rideau Canal is still too thin for skaters, a stark contrast to last year when the NCC opened the canal on December 31.
The NCC says although it may appear that a layer of ice has formed on the Canal, it's dangerously thin and can't support the weight of a person.
The NCC is urging the public to stay off the Canal until the official opening is announced.
The Rink of Dreams at Ottawa City Hall and the rink at Lansdowne Park are both free and open to the public.
