Ottawa weather forecast calls for mild temperatures this week

The temperature will rise again today in Ottawa, Gatineau and the surrounding area, which means messy weather is on the way Tuesday.

Monday's forecast calls for a mix of sun and cloud to start the day along with a southwest wind at 20 kilometres per hour in the morning. There should be more sun in the afternoon as the high reaches 1 C.

Overnight, you should be able to stargaze as the sky remains clear with a low of –11 C.

There is a special weather statement in effect for areas south of Ottawa as freezing rain should develop late Tuesday morning and into the afternoon, then end overnight into Wednesday morning.

That should affect Brockville, Prescott, Gananoque, Mallorytown, Merrickville, Kemptville and Kingston.

Ottawa and Gatineau should see cloudy skies along with snow and ice pellets starting in the afternoon Tuesday. There should be about two centimetres of precipitation as the high reaches –2 C.

Tuesday night could see more periods of snow that continue into Wednesday, possibly into the evening.

The daily high currently sits above zero for each day from Wednesday into the weekend, so the Rideau Canal Skateway could be in danger.