May snowfall – Fresh snowfall around Zojila Pass in Ladakh—on May 21, 2026—turned areas near Minamarg white and forced the temporary closure of the Srinagar-Ladakh road. While plains in India faced blistering summer heat, stormy conditions are forecast for the next three day
For a stretch of high mountain road, May stopped behaving like May.
On Thursday. May 21. fresh snowfall blanketed the high mountains around Zojila Pass in Ladakh. turning the area near Minamarg into a white landscape—even as temperatures climbed in the plains below. The contrast was immediate: what felt like a late-spring chill in the mountains arrived alongside fierce summer heat elsewhere across India.
The snow also created a real, on-the-ground problem for travel. Authorities temporarily closed the strategic Srinagar-Ladakh road to traffic because of the snowfall over Zojila Pass. which sits more than 3.5 kilometres high. For travellers and locals. the closure means delays as teams work to clear the snow and make the route safe again.
Rain and thunderstorms hit other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and temperatures across the Kashmir Valley dipped sharply. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted stormy weather for the next three days, with conditions expected to keep regional temperatures below normal.
May usually brings relief at these heights because snow begins to melt, and mountain roads open up for easier travel. But changing weather patterns have pulled the season out of rhythm. Western disturbances—systems that carry moisture from faraway seas—are clashing with cold mountain air. triggering snow in the heights while rain with thunderstorms falls down below.
That mismatch is the story showing itself across the country at the same time. While many states are reporting record summer heat. with temperatures touching 42°C–47°C in many places. the mountains have been hit by sudden cold snaps. People in the plains have been reaching for water bottles. seeking shade. and staying indoors as heatwaves sweep several states and cities. In the mountains. warm clothes are suddenly back in use as residents and visitors step into an unexpected spell of snow.
For tourists planning Ladakh trips, the message is practical: check road updates carefully. For mountain communities and highway workers, it means extra work—clearing snow, reopening routes, and responding to a landscape that can change fast.
The day’s weather leaves little room for comfort or certainty. Across India, nature is delivering snow and cool rain on one side of the map and extreme heat on the other—at the same time, in the same week, and now under a forecast that calls for stormy conditions for the next three days.
Zojila Pass snowfall May 21 2026 Ladakh weather Srinagar-Ladakh road closed Minamarg snow IMD stormy weather next three days western disturbances