Kargil Weather – Best Time To Visit.

Kargil weather and temperature guide

Weather and temperatures in Kargil vary a lot due to its location and elevation (8800ft). Kargil temperature can vary from -20°C in winter to +20°C in summer. But, don’t worry, we have compiled a few years of data and published a detailed guide of Kargil weather and temperature which would help you during your visit to Kargil. Use this Kargil weather and temperature guide before planning your trip to Kargil.

Kargil weather and temperature by month

Read the month-wise summarised data of Kargil weather and temperature below which would be very helpful.

Weather Kargil in the month of January

January is the coldest month of Kargil. During this month the temperature stays below the freezing point because of the heavy snowfall during this month. This extreme cold of freezing temperature affects the water supply. The surface of lakes and rivers freezes. Chadar Trek on the frozen Zanskar River starts this month until mid-February. A lot of adventure-seeking tourists visit this month for Chadar Trek.

The average maximum is -5°C and the lowest temperature may fall below -20°C. In January, the average snowfall is of 9 days with a total of 47 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of February

February is the second coldest month of Kargil. These two months of January and February are extremely cold with heavy snowfall. The temperature stays below 0°C for the first two weeks of this month. During the last week of this month, the temperature rises above 0°C. And finally, the spell of harsh freezing winter ends. Chadar trek continues during this month too and a lot of tourists participate in the Chadar Trek.
The average maximum is 2°C and the lowest temperature might be around -10°C. In February, the average snowfall is of 10 days with a total of 89 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of March

Winter in Kargil is of four months. Those four months are December, January, February, and March. The month of December brings the freezing cold weather and the month of March takes it away. The month of March is considered to be the last month of winter.
The average maximum is 5°C and the lowest temperature might be around -2°C. In March, the average snowfall is of 9 days with a total of 67 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of April

The month of April is the end of the winter season and the start of the spring season. This month is the month when tourists start visiting Kargil. But don’t expect the usual Indian spring season which is mild and pleasant. It would be ice cold with temperature dropping below -2°C at some point.

Although there won’t be any heavy snowfall, there might be some light snowfall during this month. The Zojila road which is the gateway to Ladakh usually opens in the month of April. And the traffic movement starts with a lot of tourists visiting Ladakh and making stops in Kargil.
The average maximum would be around 9°C with a minimum of 4°C. In April the average rainfall is of 8 days with a total of 63 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of May

The weather would be pleasant with bright sunny days in May but the nights would be chilly. The snow begins to melt during this month and a lot of tourists visit Ladakh via Kargil to see snow for the first time. This month is considered to be a good time for travelers to visit Kargil.
The average maximum would be around 11°C with a minimum of 5°C. In the month of May, the average rainfall is of 7 days with a total of 39 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of June

The month of June brings the end of the spring season. The weather would be very pleasant during day time but some nights might be a little chilly. The month of June is the start of the best time to visit Kargil. June followed by the next two months are the best months to visit Kargil and Ladakh.
The average maximum would go above 20°C and the minimum at 10°C. In the month of June, the average rainfall is of 9 days with a total of 18 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of July

June, July, and August are the best three months of Kargil weather with moderate temperature ranging between 12°C to 25°C. The natural beauty of Kargil can be seen in its best during the month of July and August. Tourists love the weather of Kargil during this time of the year.
In July the average rainfall is of 12 days with a total of 27 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of August

The climate in Kargil would be moderate to hot with bright sunny days. The weather at night might be very pleasing during this month. Visiting Kargil during this month would be a great idea considering the pleasing weather of Kargil.
The average maximum might go above 25°C and the minimum at 12°C during nights and rainy days. In the month of August, the average rainfall is of 12 days with a total of 25 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of September

Although the month of September is a time of Summer in Kargil, the last week of September brings chilly air of winter and the temperature might begin to decrease. For the local inhabitants of Kargil and Leh, this month is the best month of the year. As harvesting starts in September. A lot of festivals can be seen during this month of pleasant weather.
The average maximum is 20°C and the lowest temperature might be around 10°C. In September, the average rainfall is of 9 days with a total of 21 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of October.

The month of October is the Autumn season of Ladakh. The Last week of October may bring the cold weather of early winter. On sunny days it might be mild temperature during day time. But the nights of October month might be very cold.
The average maximum is 15°C and the lowest temperature might be around 2°C. In October, the average rainfall is of 6 days with a total of 8 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of November.

This is the month of late autumn or early winter. Autumn for the local inhabitant of Kargil and winter for the outsiders. Snowfall during this month brings the freezing winter dropping the temperature below -2°C and the Zojila road gets blocked. If it doesn’t snow then the temperature might stay above freezing point and the Zojila road remains open.
The average maximum is 10°C during the early days of November and the lowest temperature might be around -2°C. In November, the average snowfall is of 5 days with a total of 11 mm.

Weather Kargil in the month of December.

December is the month of extreme cold with a freezing temperature. All the water bodies get frozen during this month. During this month the temperature barely rises above 0°C. Heavy snowfall during this month causes the temperature to fall below the freezing degree. The temperature may drop below 15°C. Roads get blocked and the traffic movement would be difficult because of the heavy snowfall. In December there are 6 days of snowfall with a total of 19 mm.

Best time to visit Kargil.

The best time to visit Kargil can be divided into various seasons as per the visiting preference of travelers. We have done some surveys to know the tourists’ preferred time to visit Kargil and found some interesting facts. And we will answer you exactly which season would be best for you to visit Kargil. After some survey and research, we have divided the seasons of Kargil into 3 categories.

1. Summer (June, July, August, and September). Best time to visit Kargil.
2. Mild Winter (October, November, April, and May). Good time to visit Kargil.
3. Winter (December, January, February, and March). Chadar Trek Visit time.

Summer (June, July, August, and September)
These four-months are the best time for travelers to visit Kargil and Ladakh. During our survey, we found most of the tourists who were visiting during these four months were completely satisfied with the moderate and the pleasing weather. The Kargil weather and temperature would be very pleasing and comfortable.

The natural beauty of Kargil would be at its best during this season. The stunning landscapes in green with snowcapped mountains in the background would offer great scenery to enjoy. NH1 road from Srinagar via Zojila would be open during this season. The road trip would be thrilling and amazing in the moderate temperature of summer. If you are thinking about visiting Kargil during your Ladakh Trip, these four months are the best time for it.

Mild Winter (October, November, April, and May)
As per the travelers, the weather is good but a little chilly during these four months of October, November, April, and May. However, some tourists found nights to be very cold during November and April. So, visiting Kargil during these months of the year is a good idea but you should carry enough warm clothes to wear.

Winter (December, January, February, and March)
These four months are extremely cold and visiting Kargil during these months would be very challenging. However, a lot of tourists visit during the month of January and February for Chadar trek. Because of heavy rainfall and the frozen river of Zanskar, Chadar trek is done during the months of January and February.

Best time for trekking in Kargil.

As per Kargil weather, the best time for trekking is June, July, and August. The pleasant Kargil weather during these months makes the expedition and trekking wonderfully amazing.

FAQ

How many seasons are there in Kargil?

For the local residents of Kargil the seasons are like any other place. i.e,
1. Spring. (April, May, and June)
2. Summer (July, August, and September)
3. Autumn (October, November, and December)
4. Winter (January, February, and March)

Spring in Kargil (April, May, and June)
The early weeks of spring might be very cold but you will notice green leaves bursting out of trees in the last week of April. The green leaves start growing from the month of March but can be seen clearly in the month of May. The glaciers starting to melt during the mid-spring season and during the end of the spring season, the water level of rivers slowly rises.

Summer in Kargil (July, August, September)
The summer season of Kargil is very bright and sunny. The sun rays are of high intensity and you might need sunscreen and sunglasses to walk in bright sunny days. But the nights are very pleasant and comfortable.

Autumn in Kargil (October, November, and December)
The daytime temperature and weather might be pleasing in October but the nights are very cold. In November the temperature goes below freezing point during night time. The month of December would be very cold.

Winter in Kargil (January, February, and March)
The month of January and February sees a lot of heavy snowfalls. These two months are the coldest months of the year.

Which is the hottest month of Year in Kargil?

The month of July is the hottest month of the year in Kargil. The average maximum is around 21°C but the high-intensity rays of sunlight at a high altitude (8800ft) make it feel like 30°C in July last week. However, the Kargil weather of July is a great time to visit this amazing place.

Which is the coldest month of Year in Kargil?

January is the coldest month of Kargil with the temperature dropping below -20°C at some point. But the low humidity and high altitude make it feel warmer than the recorded below freezing temperature.

Which month does it snow in Kargil?

Snowfall can be seen anytime during the months of October, November, December, January, February, March and April. But January and February are the months of Heavy snowfall.

When can I see snow in Kargil?

As per Kargil weather, there can be snowfall anytime upto the month of April, but the snow at roadside melts only in the last week of June. So, you can visit anytime upto June to see snow in Kargil. However, you need to visit Kargil via NH1 road from Srinagar to play with snow at road side. Snow at mountains and glaciers can be seen round the year, and you can visit anytime of the year to watch these snow from a distance.

When does the Zojila road gets open?

The status of Zojila completely relies on the Kargil weather. Heavy snowfall causes the road to gets blocked. The snowfall has to be cleared out of the way to open the highway for traffic. The roads usually gets blocked in the month of November and opens in the month of April. However, change in weather may change the pattern.

Is the Kargil weather suitable for vacation?

The weather of Kargil in summer is deemed suitable and pleasant for tourists to spend their vacation. Check the table given above to see which month is best for you to visit Kargil. However, you will notice a difference in Kargil weather because of the high altitude nature of this area. If you are visiting Kargil from Leh via flight, then you need to rest a night in Leh Ladakh for acclimatization. After spending one night in Leh, you can travel to Kargil and enjoy the road trip which would be very thrilling. You will enjoy the great scenery while travelling via road.

Is the humidity very low in Kargil?

The amount of precipitation in Kargil is very variable. Ladakh is one of the driest parts of the country. In this dry village, sweet and rich apricots grow.

How to prepare for Kargil weather?

If you have already planned for a Kargil trip. It would be best to check the weather forecast in the evening before you start your trip. The Kargil weather keeps changing, so, don’t rely on one forecast. Keep checking the forecast. The forecast of Kargil weather is most accurate a day earlier. Double-check the morning of the Kargil trip.

Regardless of the predictions, the weather may change really quickly and dramatic differences between one place and the another are no exception. Therefore it is best to be prepared for weather variations. Pack some warm clothes of winter, no matter what season you are traveling to Kargil or whatever the forecast is predicting.

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