It is also winter on Uttarakhand’s high Himalayan peaks with the intense snowfall still striking Kedarnath Dham on Thursday, April 9, 2026. At a height of 11,755 feet, the shrine sits in a pile of snow that has been reported to have reached almost 5 feet in the temple premises and the surrounding township as well.
Due to Unseasonal Snowfall
The heavy snow that has been falling for the past 3 days has been a great burden to the district administration and the Shri Badri-Kedar Temple Committee (BKTC)'s workload. The unseasonal weather has hindered major preparations as the doors (Kapat) of the Kedarnath Temple are set to open on April 22, 2026, for devotees.
#WATCH केदारनाथ (उत्तराखंड): केदारनाथ धाम में भारी बर्फबारी हो रही है।
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) April 8, 2026
(सोर्स-केदारनाथ DM) pic.twitter.com/Om5NQ8SCEK
Construction works under the Kedarnath Master Plan, which tend to pick up pace in the spring, have been temporarily suspended. Heavy machinery and building materials are now surrounded by the white blanket, and workers are grappling to clear the pathways to the sanctum sanctorum.
Effect on Char Dham Yatra 2026
The snowfall is a component of a broader weather pattern impacted by a developing Western Disturbance in North India. Minor clearing weather on Thursday morning gave workers another brief time to return to snow clearing, but India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also posted forecasts with the presence of cold and impending thunderstorms in the region.
- Kedarnath Opening: April 22, 2026
- Badrinath Opening: April 23, 2026
- Yamunotri & Gangotri Opening: April 19, 2026
The bone-chilling temperatures which have dipped to as low as -9°C have not deterred ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) personnel and Uttarakhand Police personnel from stationing at the shrine for security and infrastructure monitoring.
A Divine but Dangerous View
As social media users call the imagery of the snow-clad temple “divine” and “mesmerizing,” authorities have urged pilgrims and workers to move with extreme care. There is snow sweeping the 16-km pedestrian trek from Gaurikund to Kedarnath, but the prospect that new avalanches will pop into the valley is a major concern for Yatra management teams.
