Kedarnath is a holy shrine belonging to Lord Kedarnath; a manifestation of lord Shiva. The shrine is counted among the Chardham of the Chota Chardham circuit and also among the 12 auspicious Jyotirlingams that our country has. The Kedarnath shrine is cradled at about 3584m above the sea level and falls within Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district. The majestic Himalayan backdrop, the tranquil ambience and the fascinating tapestry of legends associated with the Kedarnath Dham makes it one of a kind.
Being perched at such high altitude, Kedarnath Dham’s weather is always very erratic and unpredictable. If you are planning to make a pilgrimage to Kedarnath Temple soon, you must have a clear notion about the region’s weather prior to visit. Read on to learn more-
Latest Kedarnath Weather Forecast
Kedarnath General Weather Conditions
The maximum temperature at Kedarnath hovers around 10-18 degree centigrade on an average while the minimum temperature falls below the zero degree mark. Woolens are required in the region all round the year.
Kedarnath in the Different Seasons
Weather conditions vary at Kedarnath across the various seasons. The region’s annual weather may be categorized into 3 different seasons; i.e. summers, Monsoons and winters in the course of a year.
Summers in Kedarnath
Summers start around end of April and continue till mid June. The weather is the most pleasant and mild during summers. The average temperatures may be around 18 degree centigrade. Daytimes are pleasant, bright and sunny while nighttimes may be cold.
Monsoons in Kedarnath
Monsoons start around end of June and continue till end of August. Sudden sporadic showers may create inconvenience for travelers. Also, due to the rains there may be a decline in temperature by roughly 5-6 degree centigrade. Moreover rains make the Kedarnath region landslide prone and thus very unsafe.
Winters in Kedarnath
Winters start in the month of November and last till mid April. The months of September and October thus mark the pre-winters at Kedarnath. During the winter months temperatures drop sharply below freezing point and heavy snowing starts making journey literally impossible. Kedarnath shrine is shut down for winter break and opens only with the melting of snow with the onset of summers
Kedarnath Best Time to Visit
It is the most ideal to visit Kedarnath around May-June and September-October. The weather during these months remains pleasant and bearable. The rainy months of July-August need to be avoided strictly, as the risk of landslides increase in the region, thereby posing a threat to life. Beyond October, heavy snowing makes journey impossible
Kedarnath Month-Wise Weather Analysis
| Month-wise division | Prevailing weather conditions |
| Weather in May | In the month of May, snowing stops, roads clear up and Kedarnath shrine opens for visitors. Maximum temperatures are usually around 14 degree centigrade while minimum temperatures are usually around 5 degree centigrade. Day times during the month of May be pleasantly warm and bright while night times cold enough. |
| Weather in June | The weather is warm now but also pleasant. Average maximum monthly temperature may be around 18 degree centigrade while the average minimum temperature may be around 9 degree centigrade. Towards month’s end the cloud may be cast with rain clouds. |
| Weather in July | Humidity adds to the ambient air making weather conditions significantly warm. Showers of moderate nature occur during this month making the region perilous and landslide prone. Maximum average temperatures are around 17 degree centigrade and minimum average temperatures are around 10 degree centigrade. |
| Weather in August | Rainfall still persists but the frequency now reduces. The region thus is not free from the risk of landslides. Monthly maximum average temperature is around 18 degree centigrade while the monthly minimum temperature is around 10 degree centigrade. |
| Weather in September | Cool breeze blows during this month. The average monthly temperature is around 15 degree centigrade while minimum monthly temperature is around 8 degree centigrade. Rains usually stop during this month and sky may be much clearer now. |
| Weather in October | Maximum monthly temperature on an average is 12 degree centigrade while minimum monthly temperature on an average is 5 degree centigrade. One can feel the cold in the ambience by now though it is still bearable. Nights however are pretty cold. October is the official last month for Kedarnath visits. |
| Weather from November-April | Winter starts in November when the temperatures are roughly around 4 degree centigrade. Soon afterwards temperatures drop sharply and touch the zero degree mark and then even go below the zero mark leading heavy snowfall and freezing cold in the region. These extreme, inhospitable weather conditions prevail till the month of April or the last week of April. |