Most people searching "Gulmarg snowfall today" want one thing: to know whether there is snow to see if they set off now. The honest answer usually has two parts. Gulmarg town, the meadow at 2,650 m with the hotels, the golf course and the Gondola base, gets snow later and loses it sooner. Apharwat, the ridge above it that Gondola Phase 2 reaches at about 3,980 m, turns white weeks earlier and holds snow into early summer.
This page shows both, live, and is refreshed every 30 minutes. Below the forecast you will find the latest snowfall reports, the months it actually snows, first-snowfall dates from the last ten years, and how to plan a snow trip without wasting a day.
Latest Gulmarg snowfall news (October 2026)
- check6 to 7 October 2026: Fresh snow fell overnight on Tuesday in the higher reaches of Kashmir, including the Afarwat-Gulmarg belt and towards Zojila, while lower areas had rain, drizzle and, in Rajouri, a heavy hailstorm (KNT report, 8 October). The Meteorological Centre Srinagar forecast unsettled weather with intermittent rain and advised farmers to store harvested apple and paddy between 8 and 10 October.
- check23 September 2026: The season's first dusting came early, on the afternoon of 23 September, on the upper reaches of Gulmarg including Affarwat peak. Gulmarg recorded 3.4 mm of precipitation that day, with a maximum of 21.2°C and a minimum of 7.5°C (IMD).
- checkGulmarg town: No settled snow yet in the meadow this season. Snow you see in October is on Apharwat and Kongdori, reached by the Gondola.
Full report and what it means for October trips: Gulmarg snowfall news: fresh snow on Apharwat (October 2026).
Can you see snow in Gulmarg this week?
Yes, but plan for the Gondola. In October the snow is on the Apharwat ridge, so the way to stand in it is Gondola Phase 1 to Kongdori and Phase 2 to Apharwat. Phase 2 is the first to stop in high wind or a storm, so take the earliest slot you can and keep a buffer day.
Does Gulmarg Phase 2 have snow right now?
Yes. Phase 2 of the Gulmarg Gondola ends on the Apharwat ridge at about 3,980 m, and that is where this autumn's snow is lying. Fresh snow fell there on the night of 6 October 2026, and visitors' videos from Phase 2 on the morning of 7 October show the ridge white with new snow while the meadow below stayed green. Nights on Apharwat are below freezing (the live table shows the forecast), so October snow up there usually lasts days, not hours.
Phase 1 (Kongdori, about 3,080 m) sits between the two: it catches the bigger spells but holds less snow than Phase 2 early in the season. If seeing or touching snow is the point of your trip, buy a Phase 2 ticket, not just Phase 1.
When is the next snowfall in Gulmarg?
The next snowfall in the forecast is on Tuesday, 13 October: about 5 cm on Apharwat (Phase 2), with rain rather than snow in the town. This line updates automatically from the forecast every 30 minutes. A snow spell in Gulmarg usually shows up first as cloud and rain in Srinagar; the morning after is the best time to ride Phase 2.
When was the last snowfall in Gulmarg?
The last reported snowfall in the Gulmarg area was on the night of Tuesday 6 October 2026, on the Apharwat belt above the town. Gulmarg town itself has not had settled snow yet this autumn. The "Yesterday" tile in the live panel above shows whether any snow fell in the last 24 hours, for both the town and the peak.
Last season (2025), the first snow reached Gulmarg's upper reaches in early October and was widely reported as a lift for Kashmir tourism after a difficult year. Early snow on Apharwat tends to bring a wave of October bookings from travellers who want to see snow before the winter crowds and prices arrive.
Gulmarg snowfall months: when does it snow?
Gulmarg gets meaningful snow in eight months of the year and none in four. The table shows the ten-year average (2016 to 2025) for Gulmarg town, calculated from the Open-Meteo ERA5 climate archive at 2,650 m.
| Month | Avg snowfall (town) | Snow days (1 cm+) | Avg day / night | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 70 cm | 9 | -0.5°C / -7°C | Peak snow and deepest cold, best powder for skiing |
| February | 64 cm | 8 | 1°C / -6°C | Deep snow, ski season in full swing |
| March | 68 cm | 9 | 4°C / -2°C | Heavy late-season snow, longer days |
| April | 28 cm | 5 | 10°C / 2°C | Melting meadow, snow still on Apharwat |
| May | 2 cm | Under 1 | 15°C / 6°C | Town green; snow patches on the ridge |
| June to August | None | 0 | 18-21°C / 9-12°C | No snow in town; the green meadow season |
| September | None in town | 0 | 18.5°C / 9°C | Occasional early dusting on Apharwat late in the month (23 September 2026) |
| October | 6.5 cm | 1 to 2 | 13°C / 3°C | First snow on Apharwat, often a first dusting in town late in the month |
| November | 31 cm | 4 | 7°C / -2°C | Winter starts; town usually white by late November |
| December | 19 cm | 3 | 3°C / -5°C | Cold, festive, base building for ski season |
Model reanalysis averages for Gulmarg town, not a station record. Reanalysis smooths out mountain snow, so real depths on Apharwat are much higher: the upper Gondola slopes often carry well over a metre of base in mid-winter.
Best months for guaranteed snow: late December to early March. Best months for skiing: January to March. For a first look at snow with fewer crowds: late October and November, using the Gondola to reach the snowline.
Gulmarg first snowfall dates: the last 10 years
When does Gulmarg get its first snow? In seven of the last ten years, the first day with 1 cm or more in the town fell in October.
| Season | First snow in town (1 cm+) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 October |
| 2024 | 16 November |
| 2023 | 16 October |
| 2022 | 20 October |
| 2021 | 23 October |
| 2020 | 25 October |
| 2019 | 19 October |
| 2018 | 9 October |
| 2017 | 14 November |
| 2016 | 10 December |
Modelled from the Open-Meteo ERA5 archive for Gulmarg town at 2,650 m. Apharwat usually turns white one to three weeks before these dates.
Gulmarg snowfall in October: what to expect
October is the month the snow returns. Days in the town are mild (around 13°C) and nights drop to about 3°C, with one or two snow days on average. Snow usually arrives with a western disturbance: a day of cloud and rain in Srinagar, then a clear morning with Apharwat freshly white above the meadow.
- checkWhere the snow is: Apharwat and Kongdori, via the Gondola. The meadow stays green or golden for most of the month.
- checkWhat to wear: A warm jacket, gloves and proper shoes. Apharwat is often 10 to 12°C colder than the town and below freezing at night.
- checkWhy go now: Lower hotel rates than December, autumn colour, and a real chance of snow on the ridge.
Is there snow in Gulmarg in June?
Not in the town. June in Gulmarg is the green meadow season, with days around 18°C and no snowfall in the ten-year record. Snow does linger in gullies and patches on Apharwat's upper slopes into early summer in most years, so Gondola Phase 2 is still where to go if you want to touch snow in May or June. If snow is the main goal of your trip, come between December and March.
Gulmarg snowfall time: time of year and time of day
Time of year: snow can fall from late September (on the peak) to April, with the reliable season December to March. Time of day: there is no fixed hour. Snow comes with passing western disturbances and can start at any time, though many recent spells, including the 6 October 2026 one, began at night, leaving a clear, bright morning after. Snowfall is hardest to predict more than five to seven days ahead, which is why a "30-day Gulmarg snowfall forecast" is not reliable from any source; use the 15-day table above and check again 48 hours before you travel.
Shimla vs Gulmarg snowfall
Travellers often compare the two. Gulmarg sits about 400 m higher than Shimla and gets far more snow, far earlier.
| Gulmarg | Shimla | |
|---|---|---|
| Altitude (town) | 2,650 m | 2,276 m |
| Avg annual snowfall (town, 2016-2025) | About 290 cm | About 26 cm |
| Usual first snow | Mid-October to November | December, and some years none |
| Snow months | October to April | Mainly December to February |
| Skiing | Gondola-served ski area to about 3,980 m | No lift-served skiing in town |
Model reanalysis averages from the Open-Meteo ERA5 archive. Official snowfall warnings come from the IMD centres in Srinagar (for Gulmarg) and Shimla.
How to check Gulmarg snowfall live yourself
- 1Use the live panel on this page for today, yesterday, tomorrow and the next 15 days (town and Apharwat).
- 2Check the IMD Meteorological Centre Srinagar bulletin for official warnings and Gulmarg's recorded temperatures.
- 3Check Gondola operations on the day through the official JKCCL booking portal, since Phase 2 pauses in high wind or storms.
- 4In heavy snow, the Tangmarg to Gulmarg road can need chains or four-wheel drive. Ask your driver or our desk the night before.
- 5Or just WhatsApp our Srinagar desk on +91 91860 51499; we are on the ground every day and can tell you what Gulmarg looks like right now.
Gulmarg me snowfall kab hota hai? (हिंदी में)
Gulmarg me snowfall kab hota hai? गुलमर्ग में बर्फबारी आमतौर पर अक्टूबर के आख़िर या नवंबर से शुरू होती है, और दिसंबर से मार्च तक पक्की बर्फ रहती है। सबसे ज़्यादा बर्फ जनवरी में गिरती है। अक्टूबर में बर्फ पहले ऊपर अफरवट (Apharwat) चोटी पर गिरती है, जहाँ गोंडोला फेज़ 2 से पहुँचा जाता है।
Gulmarg me snowfall kab hoga? आज और अगले 15 दिनों का अनुमान ऊपर "live" टेबल में है, जो हर 30 मिनट में अपडेट होता है। 6 अक्टूबर 2026 की रात अफरवट पर ताज़ा बर्फबारी हुई थी; गुलमर्ग कस्बे में अभी बर्फ नहीं जमी है।
बर्फ देखने का सबसे अच्छा समय: दिसंबर के आख़िर से मार्च तक। स्कीइंग के लिए जनवरी से मार्च। जून से सितंबर तक कस्बे में बर्फ नहीं होती।
Plan a Gulmarg snow trip
Snow changes plans daily, and that is where a Srinagar team helps: we know when the Gondola is running, whether the Tangmarg road needs chains, and which day of your trip is best for Gulmarg. Our winter packages start at ₹10,705 per person (4 nights, Srinagar and Gulmarg), and we build custom October and November snow trips around the forecast.
- checkGulmarg tour packages, with Gondola and stays
- checkGulmarg Gondola tickets, Phase 1 and Phase 2
- checkGulmarg hotels, heated rooms for snow season
- checkGulmarg skiing packages, January to March
Further reading from Kashmir Pulse
- Gulmarg Snowfall News: Fresh Snow on Apharwat (October 2026) and What It Means for Your Trip
Fresh snow fell on Gulmarg's Apharwat ridge on the night of 6 October 2026, after a first dusting on 23 September. The meadow town is still...
- Gulmarg Skiing 2026-27: Gondola, Runs, Season Dates, and What First-Timers Need to Know
Gulmarg ski season 2026-27 opens in late December. Phase 1 gondola to Kongdoori at 3,979m handles beginner and intermediate terrain; Phase 2...
- Sonamarg in Winter: Zero Point, Snow Activities, and the Season Before the Road Closes
Sonamarg at 2,740m sits at the edge of Kashmir valley transitioning into the higher ranges toward Zoji La and Ladakh. From October, the...
- Pahalgam in Winter 2026-27: Snow, Temperatures & What to Actually Expect
Pahalgam in December and January: -12°C nights, 2-3 feet of snow, a frozen Lidder, and a completely different valley from the summer...
- Gulmarg in October 2026: The Gondola, the First Snow, and Why Locals Prefer This Over Summer
Gulmarg in October 2026 offers the gondola (Phase 1 to Kongdori Bowl at 3,088m is running; Phase 2 to Apharwat at 3,980m closes when the...
- Heli-Skiing in Gulmarg: What Backcountry Powder Actually Involves
Gulmarg's backcountry off Apharwat has a genuine global reputation among serious skiers - deep, light powder and terrain reached by gondola...