Uttarakhand sees first snowfall of 2026, thick blanket of snow covers high-altitude areas

Public Lokpal
January 24, 2026

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Uttarakhand sees first snowfall of 2026, thick blanket of snow covers high-altitude areas

DEHRADUN: After a long wait, the weather changed in Uttarakhand on Friday, and the first snowfall of the year covered almost all the high-altitude areas of the state with a thick blanket of snow, officials said.

According to officials, continuous rain since morning in most of the lower areas and plains of the state, including the capital Dehradun, has brought back the biting cold.

Heavy snowfall occurred at various places in both Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of Uttarakhand, such as Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Auli, Mussoorie, Chakrata, Dhanaulti, and Munsiyari, while high-altitude areas like China Peak and Kilbury in Nainital, Dunagiri in Almora, and Tarkeshwar in Pauri were also covered with a blanket of snow.

Some videos also showed tourists enjoying the snowfall on Mall Road and other places in Mussoorie.

The faces of farmers, apple growers and horticulturists, who had been eagerly waiting for rain and snowfall for a long time, also lit up.

The continuous snowfall and rain in the state also affected normal life in many places, with traffic movement and power supply getting disrupted at many places.

The Joshimath-Auli road leading to the National Skiing Centre in Auli in Chamoli district and the Rudraprayag-Pokhri-Gopeshwar road have been closed to traffic due to accumulated snow. Officials said that the snow is being cleared from the roads to restore traffic.

The Chamoli district administration has requested the general public to avoid unnecessary travel during this period and to follow the instructions issued by the administration.

In Uttarkashi district, due to snowfall in Barkot, Purola and Mori, power lines near Raditop were damaged, causing a power outage. Efforts are underway to restore power. However, the entire Yamuna Valley remained without electricity until late evening.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for snowfall in the higher reaches of the state and rain in the lower areas. Strong winds and hailstorms are also expected in some places.

In most places, the daytime temperature dropped compared to Thursday, and the mercury fell below normal.

According to the IMD, the maximum temperature in Dehradun dropped to 14 degrees Celsius on Friday, which was 12 degrees lower than on Thursday. Similarly, the maximum temperature in Mussoorie decreased by 11.5 degrees and in Mukteshwar by eight degrees compared to Thursday. 

PTI