This page is only about snow: where it falls near Dehradun, how often, and how to chase it without spending the day in a jam. For the city’s winter weather month by month, and what to pack, read our guide to Dehradun in winter.
Does it snow in Dehradun city?
Not in any way you can plan for. The city sits in the valley, well below the snow line. IMD’s 1991–2020 averages for Dehradun put the mean January minimum at 6.6 °C and the mean January maximum at 19.7 °C. Cold nights, but not snow weather.
What happens instead is rain. On 23 January 2026, when the first snow of that winter fell on Mussoorie, Dhanaulti and Chakrata, Dehradun had rain from the morning. IMD said the city’s high fell to 14 °C, 12 degrees lower than the day before. That is the pattern to remember: rain in the valley often means snow on the hills above it.
Snow near Dehradun: the record so far
- Latest big snow
- 23 Jan 2026: snow at Mussoorie, Dhanaulti and Chakrata, the first of the year. Dehradun had rain from the morning, and IMD put its high at 14 °C, 12 degrees below the day before.Hindustan Times (PTI), 24 Jan 2026, checked 1 Nov 2026
- How much
- About seven hours of snow in Mussoorie from 7 am on 23 Jan 2026, averaging 6 cm. Chakrata’s Lokhandi got its first snow of the season the same day.New Indian Express, 23 Jan 2026, checked 1 Nov 2026
- How long it lasted
- By the next day, 24 Jan 2026, the snow on Mussoorie’s Mall Road had melted and visitors moved on to Dhanaulti and Lal Tibba, causing fresh jams there.Times of India, 25 Jan 2026, checked 1 Nov 2026
- How high it falls
- On 1 Feb 2026, IMD reported rain and snow at 2,800 m and above in districts further north, and said Dehradun district might see only very light rain or snow, in isolated high places.Hindustan Times, 2 Feb 2026, checked 1 Nov 2026
- Sunset in Dehradun
- 5:31 pm on 1 Nov 2026, and earlier into December. Plan to be off the hill roads by then.IMD Meteorological Centre Dehradun, checked 1 Nov 2026
Where snow falls near Dehradun
Height decides it. IMD’s orange alert of 23 January 2026, for example, warned of snow above 2,300 m. These are the places within a day’s drive that get snow in some winters. Distances are by road from Dehradun, rounded, from the district administrations’ own websites as of 1 November 2026. The Chakrata page gives two figures, 87 km and 98 km, so we show both ends.
| Place | Height | By road from Dehradun | Snow, in recent winters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mussoorie (Lal Tibba, Landour) | Gun Hill 2,122 m; Lal Tibba is the highest point | About 35–40 km | Snow some winters, often light and gone in a day or two |
| Dhanaulti | About 2,250 m | About 60 km (24 km beyond Mussoorie) | Snow in Jan 2023, Jan 2026, and in Feb 2025 when Mussoorie had only rain |
| Surkanda Devi | About 2,750 m (the Dehradun district site says 3,030 m) | Beyond Dhanaulti, then about 2 km on foot up from Kaddukhal | The highest point here; got light snow even in late March 2023 |
| Chakrata (Lokhandi, Koti Kanasar, Deoban) | Town 2,118 m; the snow points are higher | About 90–100 km, a separate road west | Snow most winters on the high ground, not always in the town |
Mussoorie and Landour
The closest snow, and the most crowded. When it snows, the town itself often gets only a light cover that melts fast, so people head higher, to Lal Tibba in Landour and out along the Dhanaulti road. Our Mussoorie day trip page covers parking, the Mall Road rules and Landour’s vehicle registration.
Dhanaulti
Higher than Mussoorie, on the road to Chamba, and it can get snow when Mussoorie gets only rain. In January 2023 it got its first snow of the season while Dehradun had rain. On 20 February 2025 it rained in Mussoorie town while Dhanaulti, Lal Tibba and Surkanda got light snow.
Surkanda Devi
The temple sits at about 2,750 m by most counts (the Dehradun district site lists 3,030 m), past Dhanaulti, with a climb of about 2 km on foot from Kaddukhal on the road. It is the highest point you can reach easily from here, and it holds snow when lower places don’t. In late March 2023, IMD’s Dehradun centre said Surkanda got light snow while the rest of the area had rain. In snow, the climb up gets slippery. Go with proper shoes, or just look up at it from the road.
Chakrata
A different direction altogether, and a full day. The cantonment town is at 2,118 m, but the snow is on the higher ground around it: Lokhandi, Koti Kanasar and Deoban. In December 2024 Chakrata had its second snow of the season by 23 December, and on 23 January 2026 Lokhandi got its first. Foreign nationals face restrictions in Chakrata, so check first if anyone in your group isn’t an Indian citizen.
When it snows: recent winters
Snow here comes with western disturbances, the winter weather systems that bring rain to the valley. December to February is the window, but in recent years the timing has moved around a lot:
- 14 January 2023: first snow of the season in Dhanaulti; rain in Dehradun.
- 25–26 March 2023: light snow at Surkanda, late in the season.
- Early February 2024: snow in the high Garhwal Himalayas, and hopes of more, sent crowds up towards Dhanaulti and Buranskhanda; police put one-way rules on the Lal Tibba roads.
- 9 December 2024: light snow in Mussoorie; more on the high ground around Chakrata, again by 23 December.
- 20 February 2025: light snow in Dhanaulti, Lal Tibba and Surkanda, rain in Mussoorie town.
- 23 January 2026: the season’s first snow on Mussoorie, Dhanaulti, Surkanda and Chakrata, after almost three dry months.
So there is no reliable date. If you are booking months ahead, pick mid-January to February for the best odds, and treat snow as a bonus, not the reason for the trip. If the first big snow lands over a long weekend, as it did on the Republic Day weekend in 2026, expect the roads to be very busy.
Before you drive up after snow
After a snowfall, the problem is usually the traffic, not the snow. On Saturday 24 January 2026, the Times of India reported, there were jams across Dehradun, including Mussoorie Road, and one visitor said the drive up took 2.5 hours instead of the usual 90 minutes. Police deployed extra staff on the Mussoorie–Dhanaulti road, and the SP (traffic) warned visitors about narrow hill roads and slippery surfaces.
- Check the forecast. As of 1 November 2026, district forecasts and warnings are on the IMD Dehradun centre’s site. Look the evening before and again in the morning.
- Check road closures. Uttarakhand PWD keeps a live road closure dashboard. Snow blocks roads, and so do landslides: the Dehradun–Mussoorie road was closed after monsoon damage in July 2026. Our page on checking roads and weather has the full list of where to look.
- Follow police on the day. One-way systems and holding points go up quickly after snow. If police stop traffic or ask you to turn back, turn back. We have not found a standing official rule on snow chains for these roads, so ask locally if you are unsure about your car.
- Go early, come down before dark. Hill roads are harder after sunset, and wet roads can turn icy as the night gets colder.
- Carry a full tank, water, snacks, warm layers and a charged phone in case you are stuck in a jam.
How we would plan a snow day
We are two friends from Dehradun, and we help guests plan days out. Our Instagram says “We help our guests to experience the best of local places”, and for snow, our advice is mostly about timing:
- Watch for rain in the valley forecast. If IMD shows rain and a cold spell for Dehradun, the hills may get snow. Keep the next day free, and go the morning after it clears.
- Go on a weekday if you can. After snow, weekends and long weekends fill the roads from Delhi too.
- Pair Dhanaulti with Surkanda, rather than stopping on Mussoorie’s Mall Road, where snow melts first and traffic is worst.
- Don’t try Chakrata and Mussoorie on the same day. They are in different directions. Pick one.
- Don’t wait for the weekend. Snow on the lower hills can melt within a day, as it did on Mussoorie’s Mall Road in January 2026. If the forecast stays clear after that, we would spend the day in the valley instead.
Coming back down to the valley is the other half of the plan. Fyonli Nest has heaters in winter, a full kitchen, and parking in the courtyard, so the car is ready for an early start. See the rooms and send your dates, and tell us you’re hoping for snow.
Sources: IMD Meteorological Centre Dehradun: climatological table 1991–2020; IMD Meteorological Centre Dehradun; Uttarakhand PWD: road closure dashboard; District Dehradun: Mussoorie; District Dehradun: Chakrata; District Tehri: Dhanaulti; Uttarakhand Tourism: Dhanaulti; Surkanda Devi, Wikipedia; NDTV, 8 Jun 2023 (Chakrata entry rules); Uttarakhand News Network, 14 Jan 2023; Times of India, 27 Mar 2023; Times of India, 5 Feb 2024; ETV Bharat, 10 Dec 2024; Garhwal Post, 23 Dec 2024; Garhwal Post, 20 Feb 2025; Hindustan Times (PTI), 24 Jan 2026; New Indian Express, 23 Jan 2026; Garhwal Post, 23 Jan 2026; Times of India, 25 Jan 2026; Hindustan Times, 2 Feb 2026; Garhwal Post, 20 Jul 2026.