Kargil and Drass weather: today, this week and through the year
Live temperature and a five-day forecast for Kargil, Drass and Sonamarg, how cold Drass gets, month-by-month conditions on the Srinagar–Kargil–Leh road, and the best time to go.
- ~2,676 m Kargil
- ~3,300 m Drass
- ~−20 °C Drass winter lows
- Live 3 places
Photo: Akbesta, CC BY-SA 4.0
Updated November 2026 · HP Tourism registered travel agent · Reg. No. DTO-MND-11-243/2022 · certificates
Kargil (about 2,676 m) lies on the Srinagar–Leh highway, about 204 km from Srinagar and 234 km from Leh; Drass (about 3,300 m) is on the same road beyond the Zojila pass. Summers are warm by day with cool nights; winters are long and very cold — in Kargil temperatures often fall below −20 °C, and Drass is counted among the coldest inhabited places in India, with winter lows around −20 °C from mid-October to mid-May. June to September is the comfortable season. The Zojila road was kept open through winter 2025–26 for the first time, with short closures after snow.
- ColdestDecember–February — Drass lows around −20 °C or below.
- WarmestJuly–August — warm, sunny days.
- SnowNovember to April; Drass and Zojila get the most.
- Best timeJune to September.
- ZojilaKept open in winter 2025–26, with closures after snow.
Kargil, Drass and Sonamarg weather today
Kargil (2,676 m), Drass (about 3,300 m) and Sonamarg (2,740 m) on the Srinagar side of Zojila — current temperature and the next days’ high, low, rain and snow.
Forecast data: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), refreshed about once a day — last update —.
Kargil weather by month
Kargil has no published IMD averages on the open record. For a reference, the table shows the India Meteorological Department’s 1991–2020 normals for Leh (about 3,500 m), the nearest long-record station in Ladakh. Kargil is about 800 m lower, so its days are usually warmer than Leh’s; Drass, higher and in the path of western storms, is colder and much snowier than both.
| Month | Leh IMD avg high / low (reference) | Kargil and Drass | Srinagar–Kargil–Leh road |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.5° / −13.1 °C | Deep cold; Drass snowbound | Zojila subject to closures; beyond Kargil often shut |
| February | 4.2° / −9.2 °C | Very cold, snow spells | As January |
| March | 9.7° / −3.7 °C | Cold, slow thaw | Clearance work |
| April | 15.3° / 1.6 °C | Cold nights, sunny days | Reopening for the season |
| May | 20.0° / 6.2 °C | Pleasant; snow on the passes | Usually open |
| June | 24.4° / 11.3 °C | Best weather begins | Open |
| July | 28.5° / 15.9 °C | Warmest; Vijay Diwas at Drass on 26 July | Open; Amarnath Yatra traffic near Sonamarg |
| August | 28.1° / 15.1 °C | Warm, mostly dry | Open |
| September | 23.4° / 9.2 °C | Clear and crisp | Open |
| October | 16.7° / 0.3 °C | Cold nights; first snow at Drass | Open; short closures after snow |
| November | 10.6° / −7.2 °C | Cold; snow spells | Closures after snow |
| December | 4.5° / −11.7 °C | Very cold | Zojila subject to closures |
Leh IMD normals (1991–2020) shown as a regional reference, not Kargil records. Full Leh figures: Leh weather by month.
Drass, Zojila and the Srinagar–Leh road
From Srinagar the highway climbs past Sonamarg and over the Zojila pass to Drass and then Kargil. The Z-Morh tunnel to Sonamarg opened on 13 January 2025, and BRO kept Zojila open through winter 2025–26 for the first time, closing it only briefly after snow spells. Check the J&K and Ladakh traffic advisories the evening before you travel.
The Kargil War Memorial at Drass marks the 1999 conflict; Vijay Diwas is observed there on 26 July. Summer days at Drass are pleasant, but nights are cold even in July.
More: Sonamarg weather (Hindi), Ladakh weather (Hindi) and the Kashmir Ladakh package.
Kargil and Drass in pictures
Kargil town, the Drass war memorial and the road over Zojila — real photographs, each credited to its photographer.
Best time to visit Kargil and Drass
Depending on what you are going for.
Road trip to Leh
All roads open, warm days.
Vijay Diwas
Commemoration at the Drass war memorial.
Clear skies
Crisp, fewer visitors.
Suru valley
Green fields below the Nun–Kun peaks.
Extreme winter
Only for well-prepared travellers.
Take care
Snow can close Zojila and the passes.
Kargil trip: what the weather means for you
Clothing: warm layers and a jacket for nights even in summer; expedition-grade down, thermals and insulated boots in winter.
Altitude: Drass is about 3,300 m — go slowly, drink water and spend a night at Sonamarg or Kargil before going higher.
Nearby weather:Sonamarg weather, Leh weather and Srinagar weather.
Our Kashmir and Ladakh trips
Hotels, meals and a private car in one quote.
Planning Srinagar to Leh via Kargil?
Tell us your dates and how many of you are travelling. We check the Zojila and highway status, plan the overnight stops for acclimatisation, and send a written quote with hotels, meals and a private car. Suzu Travels is a travel agent registered with HP Tourism, based in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, and plans trips across north India.
Kargil and Drass weather: frequently asked questions
What is the weather in Kargil today?
The top of this page shows the current temperature and the next days’ forecast for Kargil, Drass and Sonamarg (MET Norway data).
How cold does Drass get?
Drass is counted among the coldest inhabited places in India; winter lows average around −20 °C from mid-October to mid-May.
How cold is Kargil in winter?
Winters are long and very cold, with temperatures often dropping below −20 °C.
What is the best time to visit Kargil?
June to September, when the Srinagar–Leh road is open and days are warm.
Is Zojila open in winter?
In winter 2025–26 BRO kept Zojila open for the first time, with brief closures after snow. Check the advisory before travelling.
How far is Kargil from Srinagar and Leh?
About 204 km from Srinagar and 234 km from Leh.
Sources
- MET Norway Locationforecast (CC BY 4.0) — live forecast data
- Wikipedia: Kargil and Dras (climate and distances)
- India Meteorological Department — Leh climatological normals 1991–2020 (reference)
Photo credits
Kargil in winter — Photo: Akbesta, CC BY-SA 4.0 · War memorial, Drass — Photo: शंतनू, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Suru and Drass confluence — Photo: Anwaraj, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Drass river — Photo: Lalitgupta isgec, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sonamarg–Drass road — Photo: Lalitgupta isgec, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sonamarg–Drass road — Photo: Lalitgupta isgec, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kargil War Memorial — Photo: Lalitgupta isgec, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kargil bazaar — Photo: Kondephy, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Old house, Kargil — Photo: Jagseer S Sidhu, CC BY-SA 4.0
