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Weather & seasons

Kashmir in May: weather, roads and what to expect

Kashmir in May: temperatures and rain for Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam, which high roads open, how popular May is, and lessons from May 2026’s disruptions.

By Abbsar Bhat
Checked ·4 min read

May brings warm days in Srinagar, averaging 24.7°C, fewer wet days than April, and the first high roads starting to open. On 1991–2020 averages Srinagar’s nights are a mild 11.2°C, while Gulmarg is cooler at 15.6°C by day and 6.1°C at night. The rain eases after March and April, to about 6 wet days in Srinagar, and the high roads start to become dependable: the road to Gurez is “usually most dependable from late May or June”, according to Travel Coffee.

A meadow path at Aru Valley with snow-capped peaks
A meadow path at Aru Valley with snow-capped peaks. Photo: Harshruti, CC BY-SA 4.0
In this guide4 sections
  1. May weather
  2. Roads and access
  3. How popular May is
  4. May questions

At a glance

Srinagar
24.7°C by day, 11.2°C at night
Gulmarg
15.6°C by day, 6.1°C at night
Wet days in Srinagar
5.9 in a typical May
High roads
Dependable from late May or June
Search interest
Still high: 18.2 against April’s 21.4
Keep a spare day
The Gondola shut on 25 May 2026

May weather

Place Average high Average low Rain or snow, as water
Srinagar 24.7°C 11.2°C 63.5 mm on 5.9 wet days
Gulmarg 15.6°C 6.1°C 139.3 mm on 10.1 wet days
Pahalgam 21.3°C 5.8°C 120.1 mm on 9.8 wet days

WMO Climate Normals 1991–2020 for the IMD stations, published by NOAA NCEI. The whole year is in Kashmir weather month by month.

Roads and access

  • Gurez is most dependable from late May or June through September. In 2026 the road closed after snow as late as 17 April, Kashmir Life reported. See the Gurez guide.
  • The Mughal Road “remains closed during the winter months due to heavy snowfall”, News On Air reported on 26 February 2026. In 2026 it reopened on 11 January after seven days closed (News On Air), then shut again: it was “already closed” on 27 January, IANS reported in Siasat. Its 40 km Shopian–Peer Ki Gali stretch was ordered reopened from 27 February, and snow closed it again in March until it reopened to light vehicles on 22 March, Kashmir Life reported.
  • Sonamarg: the Sonamarg tunnel gives “all-weather connectivity between Sonamarg and Gagangeer”, according to News On Air, though the Sonamarg road was still closed by snow in late January 2026, IANS reported. See the Sonamarg guide.

For any one place, the Go Kashmir app’s place card shows its season, road time from Srinagar and permit notes.

May is still one of the most searched months. Indian interest in a “kashmir trip” averages 18.2 in May, against 21.4 in April and 8.9 in August, on Google Trends (India, 0–100 index) for 2021–2026. These are search numbers, not visitor counts.

  • Pack light layers for Srinagar and warm ones for nights in Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
  • Re-check the closure list in 2027; the current orders end on 31 December 2026.
  • Amarnath pilgrims: in 2026 registration opened on 15 April for a Yatra from 3 July. See Amarnath Yatra 2027.

May questions

Is it worth going to Kashmir in May?

May brings warm days, fewer wet days than April and high roads starting to open. Indian searches for a Kashmir trip are also still high in May.

Is there snow in Kashmir in May?

On the high passes and peaks it is possible. Gulmarg’s average May night is 6.1°C, and Srinagar’s 11.2°C.

Which month should you avoid in Kashmir?

There is no official answer; it depends on what you want. Kashmir weather month by month has every month’s figures.

Sources

  1. WMO Climate Normals 1991–2020, stations 42027 Srinagar, 42026 Gulmarg and 42028 Pahalgam, published by NOAA NCEI.
  2. Travel Coffee, Gurez Valley travel guide, 26 Jul 2026.
  3. Kashmir Life, Bandipora–Gurez road closed after fresh snowfall, 17 Apr 2026, and Mughal Road reopens for LMVs after three days, 22 Mar 2026.
  4. News On Air, Mughal Road resumes after a weather closure, 11 Jan 2026; Mughal Road ordered reopened, 26 Feb 2026, and Amarnath Yatra registration begins, 15 Apr 2026.
  5. Kashmir Observer, Gondola safety probe after the May malfunction, 1 Oct 2026.
  6. Google Trends, India, “kashmir trip”, 2021–2026, pulled 22 Oct 2026.
  7. News On Air, Sonamarg tunnel inauguration, 13 Jan 2025, and Siasat (IANS), fresh snowfall shuts highways in Kashmir, 27 Jan 2026.

We write from published sources and do not claim personal visits. How we check facts.

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