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Ottawa is projected to face an escalating risk from frequent heatwaves, significantly impacting public health and urban infrastructure. As temperatures continue to rise, the intensity and occurrence of these heat events will likely increase, posing serious challenges for vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions. The demand for energy will rise sharply during these events, potentially straining local resources and services. Moreover, extreme heat is expected to disrupt local ecosystems and agriculture, raising concerns about food security and urban planning. The increasing trend of heatwaves underscores the urgency for proactive measures to adapt and manage the climate impacts effectively.

Hazard Outlook

How will Ottawa's projected climate hazards compare to other cities under a 3.0°C future warming scenario?

Elevation

47th percentile Elevated exposure

At 77 m elevation, Ottawa faces elevated risk from coastal flooding and sea level rise.

Ottawa
-8.0 Lower → Higher 4k

Maximum Temperature

35th percentile Moderate exposure

Ottawa's projected maximum temperature of 9.0°C is near the median of cities globally under a 3.0°C warming scenario.

Ottawa
5.0 Cooler → Hotter 13

Heavy Rainfall Days

37th percentile Moderate exposure

With 10 days of heavy rainfall expected, Ottawa ranks near the median of cities for extreme precipitation events.

Ottawa
0.0 Fewer → More 36

Maximum Rainfall

45th percentile Moderate exposure

Ottawa's projected maximum rainfall of 10 mm is near the median of cities globally.

Ottawa
0.0 Lower → Higher 35

Longest Heatwave

8th percentile Lower exposure

Ottawa may experience heatwaves lasting up to 3 days, lower than most other cities.

Ottawa
0.0 Shorter → Longer 92

Exposure Summary

Elevation
Max Temp
Heavy Rain
Max Rain
Heatwave

Adaptation Priorities

Ottawa faces elevated exposure to elevation. These areas may warrant priority attention in adaptation planning.

Data source: Climate projections from the IPCC AR6 scenario analysis. See our methodology for details on how we process and interpret this data.

Deployed Solutions

Deployed climate adaptation technologies identified in Ottawa.

No solutions have been documented for Ottawa.

This is an archived snapshot of the database.

Recommended Solutions

Proven solutions from similar cities that could help diversify Ottawa's resilience portfolio