Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport

CYOW / YOW

Ottawa, CA

Last Updated
Jul 5, 01:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 17 min ago
01:00Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
21°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 16°C
4 kt
270°
15 SM
Visibility
24,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1013 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR CYOW 050100Z 27004KT 15SM FEW160 BKN240 21/16 A2991 RMK AC1CI6 SLP132 DENSITY ALT 1200FT

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 374 ft
FEW 16,000 ft AGL
BKN 24,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
16,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
16,374 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
24,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
24,374 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with broken clouds at 24,000 feet and 15 SM visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the west (270°) at 4 knots.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is 15 SM. The ceiling is 24000 feet AGL (broken), well above standard VFR minimums.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 21°C (70°F) with a dewpoint of 16°C, indicating moderate moisture conditions.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 30 hours. Conditions are expected to remain VFR throughout the forecast period. Expected weather includes: FCST.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight.

This briefing is generated from real-time METAR and TAF data. Always verify with official sources before flight.

QNH
1013 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
1001 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (374 ft)
Pressure Alt
382 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 1,192 ft
ISA Deviation: +6.7°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF CYOW 042340Z 0500/0606 28006KT P6SM FEW240 BECMG 0500/0501 01005KT FM051500 01005KT P6SM FEW240 FM051800 01005KT P6SM SCT040 BECMG 0518/0520 05006KT FM060200 05006KT P6SM FEW040 RMK NXT FCST BY 050300Z
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
01:16Z BASE
+0h
VFR 280° 6 kt
Visibility: >6SM

24-Hour Weather Evolution

Loading weather data...
Data Sources
  • • Current conditions from METAR observations
  • • Historical data from past 24 hours
  • • No forecast or predicted data included
  • • Data updated with each new METAR report
Chart Features
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Note: Future values beyond current TAF validity are estimates based on climatological data and trends. Always verify with current forecasts before flight operations.

Airport Runway Layout

N
YOW
04
22
07
25 ✈️
14
32

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
04/22 3,300 ft 75 ft ASP 26°
1.8 kt 3.6 kt
116° angle
✈️ 07/25
Active: 25
8,000 ft 200 ft ASP 57°
3.8 kt 1.4 kt
20° angle
14/32 10,000 ft 200 ft ASP 126°
3.2 kt 2.4 kt
144° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - CYOW

8,489 observations | Sep 2025 - Jul 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
67.3%
MVFR
18.5%
IFR
10.2%
LIFR
4%

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 67.3% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 14.2% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the W averaging 8.7 knots, with gusts recorded up to 31 knots. Temperature extremes range from -27°C to 32°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. Low visibility conditions (below 3 SM) occur in 5.5% of weather observations. The best months for VFR flying are May, September, June.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: W (270°)
Average Speed: 8.7 kt
Maximum Recorded: 31 kt
Calm Winds: 1.5%
Direction Distribution:
E
13.8%
N
8%
S
14.1%
W
22.2%
NE
11%
NW
11.4%
SE
4.7%
SW
13.3%

Temperature Range

Average: 2.9°C
Range: -27°C to 32°C
-27°C 32°C

Visibility

Average: 12.5 SM
Below 3 SM: 5.5%
Fog Frequency: 4.2%

Best Months for VFR

May September June

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 04/22
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.4 kt
Runway 07/25
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.8 kt
Runway 14/32
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.9 kt

Statistics computed from 8,489 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jul 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: CYOW
IATA Code: YOW
Type: large airport
Status: active
Elevation: 374 ft MSL

Location

City: Ottawa
Country: CA
Latitude: 45.322498°
Longitude: -75.669197°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+5

Runway Information

Runway 04/22
Length: 3,300 ft
Width: 75 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 07/25
Length: 8,000 ft
Width: 200 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 14/32
Length: 10,000 ft
Width: 200 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport

Overview

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport serves as the primary airport for Canada's capital city, located in eastern Ontario. Situated at an elevation of 374 feet above mean sea level, the airport provides critical transportation infrastructure for government, commercial, and regional aviation operations in the National Capital Region.

Flying Conditions

The airport's three runways offer comprehensive wind coverage, with lengths ranging from 3,300 to 10,000 feet. The multiple runway configurations (04/22, 07/25, and 14/32) all feature asphalt surfaces, providing pilots with flexible operational capabilities across different wind conditions and aircraft types.

Notable Features

Located at coordinates 45.322498, -75.669197, the airport is positioned in a relatively flat urban terrain typical of the Ottawa region. The substantial 10,000-foot runway (14/32) provides excellent operational capacity for larger commercial and cargo aircraft, while the shorter runways offer additional flexibility for smaller aircraft.

Approach Considerations

Pilots should note the significant variation in runway lengths, with the longest runway (14/32) offering 10,000 feet of asphalt surface. The multiple runway orientations provide options for handling various wind directions, with the 07/25 and 14/32 runways offering particularly robust length for most commercial and business aviation requirements.

Data Sources & Accuracy: Airport information sourced from OurAirports.com, a collaborative database of worldwide airport data. Weather data from official aviation weather services including NOAA Aviation Weather Center and international METAR/TAF providers. Information is updated regularly but pilots should always verify current conditions and NOTAMs through official channels before flight operations.

Official Data Sources

Weather NOAA Aviation Weather Center • International METAR/TAF Network
Airports OurAirports.com • Public domain airport database
NOTAMs FAA NOTAM System • ICAO NOTAM Distribution
Last updated: Jan 1, 1970 12:00 AM UTC

Disclaimer: Data is provided for informational purposes only. Pilots must verify all information through official sources before flight operations. Weather conditions change rapidly; always obtain a current briefing from approved weather services.