Dehradun: March 2026 will be remembered for its unusual weather in Uttarakhand. The month began with rising temperatures and heat waves, but ended with a surprising chill. According to meteorological data, the fourth week of March was the coldest in the past ten years.
The first two weeks of March were marked by strong heat. On March 5, Dehradun recorded a maximum temperature of 30.0°C, five degrees above normal. The minimum temperature was 14.6°C, three degrees above normal. In Mukteshwar, the maximum temperature reached 25.8°C, which was ten degrees above normal, while the minimum was 9.4°C, five degrees above normal. These figures showed how intense the heat wave was in both plains and hills during the early part of the month.
Sudden Weather Change
The situation shifted in the third week due to unseasonal rain and snowfall. These weather events cooled the atmosphere, and their effects carried into the fourth week. As a result, the last week of March became the coldest in a decade, a sharp contrast to the earlier heat.
On Thursday, Dehradun recorded a maximum of 31.5°C, three degrees above normal, and a minimum of 15.2°C, one degree above normal. Despite these numbers, the overall trend in the mountains remained below normal, creating a chill across higher regions.
Plains vs Hills
While the plains experienced near-normal temperatures in the last few days of March, the mountainous regions stayed colder than usual. This contrast highlighted the impact of rain and snowfall in the hills, which kept the climate cool and pleasant compared to the plains.
Dry winds and cloud cover kept the plains warmer during the day, but the hills continued to feel the chill. This unusual variation made March 2026 stand out in Uttarakhand’s weather records.
Early heat waves gave way to unseasonal rain and snowfall
The fourth week of March 2026 has been marked as the coldest in ten years in Uttarakhand. Early heat waves gave way to unseasonal rain and snowfall, cooling the hills and creating a sharp contrast between plains and mountains. The month showed how unpredictable weather patterns have become, leaving residents to experience both extremes within weeks.