Summer
Summer is prime time for walking, trekking, and climbing in the mountains. Summers in the Himalaya mostly provide stable, warm weather. The main alpine summer season is from mid-June to mid-September. All the mountain treks are open during this period. In June, the weather is not too hot and there is a lot of snow left on the high trails and passes. The main Kashmir treks season has not yet begun so the mountains are still fairly quiet. July and August are by far the busiest and have the warmest and most stable weather. It’s not uncommon that temperatures exceed 30C. In September, things get quieter again and the temperatures get cooler. Of course, there’s never any guarantee when it comes to weather in the mountains and we’ve seen snowstorms in the middle of August!
Spring and Autumn
Spring and Autumn are seasons of change but are certainly not to be avoided. Spring and Autumn is a fantastic time in the Kashmir. In contrast to the busy summer season, Spring and Autumn are much quieter and both seasons offer something unique. In Spring, we enjoy watching nature come to life after the snowy winter season; the early alpine flowers and tulips are blooming. In Autumn, the colors and the light are simply breathtaking and the cool especially the chinar, crisp air completes the experience. The temperatures vary, the mornings and evenings are cool, but the days can be very pleasant with temperatures as high as 20 C. We may get some rain, and there may even be the odd dusting of snow high up. In practice, we do not run many of our trekking tours in Spring and Autumn.
Winter
Winter is a magical time in Kashmir and it’s the time for snow-trek in Naranag and skiing in Gulmarg. The winter season is generally from December to April, with some ski touring continuing into May. December and January are the coldest months and the days are shorter. Temperatures drop to as low as -10C at valley level, but dry air and frequent sunny days help a lot. The majority of the snow comes in this period and is of the lovely, light, and fluffy variety! February can still be very cold but the weather gradually gets warmer and the days longer. February still provides very good snow, including the fluffy, powdery stuff. March and April are generally the sunniest and warmest. It’s not uncommon to wear little more than a t-shirt in the warm sun. The snow-pack is at it’s deepest in the mountains and has started to compact and get firmer. the snow gets wetter during the day and starts melting at lower elevations.