Heavy Snowfall in Uttarakhand, Himachal & J-K

As North India is gearing up for the start of the summer season, high-altitude areas in Uttarakhand, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir have been witnessing heavy snowfall since Sunday evening. In Uttarakhand, due to intense snowfall, the temple premises in Shri Badrinath Dham, including Neelkanth Parvat and Narayan Parvat has been covered in a white blanket.  As a result, severe cold conditions have made a comeback in Badrinath and the surrounding lower-altitude areas. Snowfall has occurred at the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines.

श्री बदरीनाथ धाम में बर्फबारी के बाद का मनोरम दृश्य।#ShriBadrinathDham#WeatherUpdate#Snowfall#Chamoli#Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/4UEga29865

— Uttarakhand DIPR (@DIPR_UK) March 16, 2026

In Himachal Pradesh, high-altitude areas are experiencing significant snowfall, causing a sharp drop in temperatures and bringing back winter-like conditions. Shimla experiencing rain and snow since Monday morning. The snowfall, accompanied by rain, is creating disruptions in infrastructure and road transport in upper reaches. The abrupt weather shift was most visible in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali area, where heavy snowfall near the Atal Tunnel, Rohtang, left nearly 1,000 vehicles stranded and forced authorities to launch a rescue operation.

Lahaul-Spiti, Himachal Pradesh: Snowfall continue for the second consecutive day in the district, leading to a significant drop in temperature across the valley pic.twitter.com/ANlHhxi13y

— IANS (@ians_india) March 16, 2026

In Jammu and Kashmir, heavy snow was reported in, Doda, Kathua,  Kishtwar and Sonamarg valley, leading to significantly colder conditions. The Srinagar-Leh highway was closed due to the conditions.

#WATCH | J&K: Heavy snowfall in the upper reaches of Bhalesa over the last three hours has caused a sharp dip in temperature despite mid-March. While higher areas received fresh snow, the plains experienced rainfall. As a precaution, schools across district Doda have been closed,… pic.twitter.com/2r6uz8wtTU

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has linked the weather event to a fresh western disturbance.When a western disturbance reaches the Himalayas, it interacts with cold air over the mountains. This leads to cloud formation and precipitation. As a result, higher altitudes receive snowfall while nearby plains often experience rain.Authorities have advised tourists to check weather forecasts before travelling to high-altitude destinations, warning that sudden snowfall can quickly lead to road closures, traffic disruptions and hazardous driving conditions in the Himalayas.
"Due to a western disturbance approaching the western Himalayas, cyclonic activity has developed over central Pakistan adjoining Punjab and Haryana. As a result, parts of Delhi witnessed rainfall," Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology and climate change at Skymet Weather, said.However, another active western disturbance is likely to affect the region from March 19, bringing a fresh spell of rainfall starting from western Uttar Pradesh and spreading to several parts of the state till March 21, which may again bring temperatures close to normal levels.