The weather in Ottawa is notoriously unpredictable, and Winterlude often is hampered by mild weather.
Mild weather is the bane of the Canal, as proper ice conditions require -10 degrees Celsius for proper freezing.
The length of the skating season, (which extends longer than the Winterlude weekends) is therefore unpredictable.
However, most events are usually not affected other than premature melting of ice and snow sculptures.
The length to which the canal is open for skating varies greatly, in the 2001-2002 season there was a record low 34 days open.
The very next season, 2002–2003, the canal was open for a near high-record of 72 days.
The weather in Ottawa is notoriously unpredictable, and Winterlude often is hampered by mild weather. Mild weather is the bane of the Canal, as proper ice conditions require -10 degrees Celsius for proper freezing. The length of the skating season, (which extends longer than the Winterlude weekends) is therefore unpredictable. However, most events are usually not affected other than premature melting of ice and snow sculptures. The length to which the canal is open for skating varies greatly, in the 2001-2002 season there was a record low 34 days open. The very next season, 2002–2003, the canal was open for a near high-record of 72 days.
Winterlude