Kargil features a cold desert climate with subarctic influences (Köppen climate classification *BWk* transitioning to *Dfb* at higher elevations). The weather is defined by extremes.
Winters are extraordinarily long and severe, stretching from November to April. Temperatures routinely plummet to -15°C to -20°C (5°F to -4°F) in the town, and drop much lower in surrounding higher-altitude areas like Dras (famously known as the second coldest inhabited place on Earth). Heavy snowfall on the mountain passes, particularly Zoji La, cuts Kargil off from the rest of India by road for up to six months a year.
Summers (June to September) are comparatively brief, mild, and pleasant. Daytime temperatures range from 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F), making this the ideal window for travel and agriculture. The region sits in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, receiving very little monsoon rainfall; most of its precipitation comes in the form of winter snow, making glacial melt the lifeblood of its ecosystems.
