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Skiers climbing a snow slope at Narkanda below a line of fir trees
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Photo: Skmishraindia · CC0
ArticleVerified 2026-10-24

Does Himachal get snow in November? Where it snows, and where it does not yet

Snow in Himachal in November: almost none in Shimla, the first falls at Narkanda and Dalhousie, the high valleys already white, and Rohtang closing.

The short answer

Not much in the towns, and yes higher up. November is the month the snow line comes down, so what you find depends on how high you go. Shimla's IMD record puts almost no snow in November, and 7 cm in December. Narkanda, higher on the ridge, is under snow from November to March according to Wikipedia. The high valleys of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti are already in winter.

Photos: Timothy A. Gonsalves (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

By place

  • Shimla. Almost no snow in November, and the driest month of the year at 13.6 mm of rain. See

snowfall in Shimla for the months that count: January and February.

  • Narkanda. Under snow from November to March, with the road slower and the Hatu road possibly

shut after a heavy fall. See Narkanda in winter.

  • Dalhousie. Our guide records snow across November to March. See

Dalhousie in winter.

  • Manali. Rohtang closes by mid-November, and the tunnel keeps Sissu and Keylong open; see

Manali in October and Manali in December.

  • Kinnaur. Kalpa's winter runs from October to May, with villages under snow. See

Kinnaur in winter.

  • Spiti. In winter Kaza is reached only the long way through Kinnaur; see Spiti in winter.

What November is good for

It is a clear, dry month in the lower hills: Mandi has a long dry stretch through it, and the lake at Bilaspur is full. For snowfall rather than snow, wait for the weeks after Christmas.

Plan around it

Where to see snow in Himachal has the places by month, and the month-by-month guide says which roads are open in November.

Places to visit

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Shanti Stupa — the white stupa on the ridge above Leh
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Shri Naina Devi Ji, Bilaspur
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Happy Valley Tea Estate, Darjeeling — the town's second oldest tea garden
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Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary — the forest and meadows around the resort
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Destinations to explore

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Today on HimLocal

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Questions people ask

Does it snow in Shimla in November?

Almost never. Shimla's IMD record shows almost no snow in November, 7 cm in December, and 42 cm and 43 cm in January and February. November in Shimla is the driest month of the year, at 13.6 mm of rain. For snow near Shimla in November, go higher, to Narkanda.

Where does it snow in Himachal in November?

At Narkanda, which Wikipedia says is under snow from November to March, and at Dalhousie, which holds it over the same months in our guide. Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti are already in winter, and the passes begin to close. Rohtang closes by mid-November.

Is November a good month for snow in Himachal?

Only if you go high. In the towns it is clear, dry and cold, which many people prefer. If snow is the point, plan for January and February and keep your dates loose; for something in November, choose Narkanda, Dalhousie or the Kinnaur villages, and ask locally before you drive up.