The Kashmiris recognize the following six seasons of two months each in a year as:
From a tourist point of view, it can be said that Kashmir Valley enjoys 4 Seasons and so there is always a reason to visit Kashmir again and again, as all the seasons have a variety of fabulous natural beauty to offer! It truly is a nature lover’s paradise and a real heaven on earth!!
From November to February marks the winter season in Kashmir. The mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures in November read about 14ºC and 1.5ºC. In December, there is a further decrease in temperature, the mean minimum being about -1.40ºC and the mean maximum 8ºC. Consequently, most of the lakes including the Dal and Wular freeze and become the playgrounds for the adventurous sportsmen of Srinagar. January is the coldest month of the year in Kashmir which is locally known as the period of Chilla-kalan (a long period of forty chilly days). Occurrence of heavy snow in the Valley in this month is a common feature.
At the advent of March, the weather starts improving and the temperatures start moving up steadily. The snow starts melting in March and the day temperature fluctuates between 10ºC to 16ºC. The day temperature in April increases a little and on sunny days is very pleasant. All the trees like Almonds, Pear, Peach, Plum, Apples start to blossom! To top it all, acres and acres of Mustard blossoms everywhere with shiny vibrant yellow colour and a mild fragrance elevate the beauty of Kashmir few notches up! In May, the mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures read about 25ºC and 12ºC respectively. About 30 to 40 percent of the total annual rainfall is recorded during spring season. In this season, with the steady increase in temperature, lush green grass develops over the surface and leaves appear on the dormant vegetation. Leaves generally appear on willow and poplar trees as early as the last week of March and on Chinar (Maple) in the first week of April. This is the period when the Valley is in full bloom and the almond, apple, peach and pear flowers add more fragrance to the fresh air of the Valley. Agricultural activities which remain suspended during the long winters are again started in April and May.
This season extends from Mid-May to Mid-September in the Kashmir Valley. July is the hottest month in which the absolute temperature on a particular day may shoot up to 37°C. The high temperature of June and July helps in the rapid sprouting and development of paddy and vegetable crops. These conditions also help in the ripening of Cherry, Peach, Pears and early varieties of apples.
September and October are the months of autumn season in the Valley. These months mark a transition from the warm sub-tropical summers to the temperate winters. In this season, the skies generally remain clear, the duration of sunshine is longer and very little precipitation is recorded. It is perhaps the most enjoyable weather in the Kashmir Valley which attracts large number of tourists from within and outside the country. In September, the mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures read about 25ºC and 11ºC. At the occurrence of clouds, the temperature however slumps abruptly. The cool nights and warm days of September and October help in the ripening of walnut, almond, apples and the latter parts of October are conducive for the emergence of Saffron flowers It is the period when people collect and purchase Zalan (fuel wood) for ensuring the winter requirements and also harvest numerous varieties of apples.