Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport

CYOW / YOW

Ottawa, CA

Last Updated
Mar 4, 04:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Aging 1 hour ago
04:00Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
-4°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: -8°C
3 kt
170°
15 SM
Visibility
9,700 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1020 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR CYOW 040400Z 17003KT 15SM FEW020 BKN097 M04/M08 A3013 RMK SC1AC6 SLP212

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 374 ft
FEW 2,000 ft AGL
BKN 9,700 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
2,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
2,374 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
9,700 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
10,074 ft AMSL
QNH
1020 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
1008 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (374 ft)
Pressure Alt
172 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: -2,018 ft
ISA Deviation: -18.3°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF CYOW 040240Z 0403/0506 02005KT P6SM BKN025 BKN150 TEMPO 0403/0405 BKN020 BKN150 BECMG 0403/0404 22005KT FM040500 22005KT P6SM SCT012 SCT030 TEMPO 0405/0411 BKN012 PROB30 0405/0411 2SM BR SCT005 FM041100 24005KT P6SM BKN030 FM041400 27008KT P6SM FEW025 BECMG 0420/0422 18005KT BECMG 0504/0506 24005KT RMK NXT FCST BY 040600Z
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
05:08Z BASE
+0h
MVFR 20° 5 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 2,500 ft
11:00Z FM041100
+6h
VFR 240° 5 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 3,000 ft
14:00Z FM041400
+9h
VFR 270° 8 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
Active: 22
3,300 ft 75 ft ASP 26°
1.9 kt 2.3 kt
50° angle
07/25 8,000 ft 200 ft ASP 57°
1.2 kt 2.8 kt
113° angle
14/32 10,000 ft 200 ft ASP 126°
2.2 kt 2.1 kt
44° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - CYOW

4,922 observations | Sep 2025 - Mar 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
64.2%
MVFR
20.8%
IFR
11.2%
LIFR
3.8%

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 64.2% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 15% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the W averaging 8.5 knots, with gusts recorded up to 31 knots. Temperature extremes range from -27°C to 29°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. Low visibility conditions (below 3 SM) occur in 7.2% of weather observations. The best months for VFR flying are March, September, October.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: W (270°)
Average Speed: 8.5 kt
Maximum Recorded: 31 kt
Calm Winds: 1.7%
Direction Distribution:
N
7.1%
NE
14.1%
E
13.3%
SE
4.5%
S
12.2%
SW
12.1%
W
23.7%
NW
11.4%

Temperature Range

Average: -1.9°C
Range: -27°C to 29°C
-27°C 29°C

Visibility

Average: 12.1 SM
Below 3 SM: 7.2%
Fog Frequency: 4.5%

Best Months for VFR

March September October

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 04/22
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.4 kt
Runway 07/25
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.6 kt
Runway 14/32
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.8 kt

Statistics computed from 4,922 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Mar 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.