The temperature at Babusar Top, 4,173 metres up on the pass between the Kaghan valley and Chilas, usually runs about 10 °C below Naran's at the same hour, and a steady wind makes it feel colder still. The weather box under the table below shows the current temperature and the next three days from MET Norway's forecast for the pass. In winter, when the road is shut, the Met Office has put the top at -25 to -30 °C (Aaj News, October 2022), and snow can arrive at either end of the open season: it was still disrupting the Babusar Top road on 31 May 2026 (Dawn).
This guide covers what the Babusar Top weather is actually like, why there are no official averages for the pass, what each part of the season brings and what to pack.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 4,173 m |
| Height above Naran | About 1,760 m (Naran is at 2,409 m) |
| Compared with Naran | Usually about 10 °C colder at the same hour, before wind chill |
| Weather station | None at the pass; the live box is a model forecast for its height |
| Winter | -25 to -30 °C according to the Met Office (Aaj News, 2022); the road is closed |
| Open season | Roughly late May or June to October or November, weather permitting |
| Recent snow | Road down to one-way traffic in snow on 31 May 2026 (Dawn); shut by heavy snow on 6 November 2025 (ProPakistani) |
| Wind | A steady, cold wind is normal; it makes the air feel colder than the temperature alone suggests |
Weather now in Babusar Top 4,173 m
Live weather loads here.
When it snows: First snow typically mid-September to mid-October; heavy snow from late October and November; the last spring snow usually in late May or June. More on the seasons
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), updated every 30 minutes. Mountain weather changes fast: check again before you set off.
How cold does Babusar Top actually get?
There is no weather station at the pass, so nobody publishes official monthly averages for Babusar Top, and the precise figures you see quoted online are model estimates or guesses. One widely repeated pair, an average high of 11 °C and a low of 3 °C in May, is Wikipedia's figure for the Kaghan valley in general, not for the top.
What can be said with confidence comes from height. Air in the lower atmosphere cools by about 6.5 °C for every 1,000 metres you climb, the standard rate used in meteorology, and the top is about 1,760 metres above Naran. That puts the pass roughly 10 to 11 °C below Naran at the same moment, though the real difference varies from day to day. So if Naran is a pleasant 20 °C at midday in July, expect around 10 °C at the top; if Naran is at 8 °C on a September evening, the top is close to freezing.
Winter is another world. When the Diamer administration closed the pass on 25 October 2022, Aaj News quoted the Met Office as saying temperatures at the top fall to between -25 and -30 °C, with icy winds. Nobody is meant to be up there then, and the road stays shut until it is cleared in late spring.
Wind and how it changes things
Wind is a bigger factor at Babusar Top than the temperature reading alone suggests. The pass sits on an exposed, treeless saddle, and a steady wind is normal rather than occasional. It cuts through light clothing quickly, and many visitors describe the top as bitterly cold even on days when it was warm and sunny lower down in Naran or Batakundi.
Cloud can also build and clear quickly at this height, and snow is not confined to winter. Dawn, carrying an APP report, described persistent snowfall around Naran on 31 May 2026, with stretches of the Babusar Top road down to one-way traffic and officials warning that the route becomes extremely hazardous after 6 pm. Treat any forecast you check before setting out as a rough guide, not a guarantee, and be ready to turn back if the weather closes in.
Weather by season
June to September is the most reliable window: the road is generally clear, days are longest, and this is when most visitors go. Even so, expect the top itself to feel far colder than the drive up from Naran suggested, and to need real layers rather than a light jacket.
May often still has snow on the ground near the top, and it can still be falling: on 31 May 2026 the authorities in Naran asked travellers to avoid non-essential trips to the pass because of snow. The road may only recently have reopened for the season; that same week police said the Mansehra to Naran and Jalkhad road had been cleared after being closed since November.
October and November bring the return of snow and a real chance the road closes without much warning as winter approaches. In 2022 the Diamer deputy commissioner closed the pass on 25 October; in 2025 heavy snow shut the Babusar Top road and the Naran to Jalkhad stretch on 6 November, and the hotels and restaurants between Barwai and the top closed with it (ProPakistani). Our guide to whether Babusar Top is open or closed covers how to check current status before travelling.
Outside this roughly six-month window, the road is closed by snow and not something to plan a visit around.
What to wear
Pack as though you were visiting somewhere far colder than Naran, whatever month you go:
- A proper warm jacket, not just a light layer, plus a hat and gloves
- A windproof outer layer, since wind is what makes the cold at the top bite
- Warm layers for children, who feel the cold faster and tend to end up playing in any snow that is lying around
- Sunglasses and sunscreen, since the sun at this altitude burns quickly even when the air feels cold
- Something dry to change into if anyone gets wet in snow or rain
Planning around the weather
Because conditions change quickly and can vary a lot from one day to the next, keep the visit itself short, an hour or so at the top is normal, and build in flexibility rather than a fixed schedule if you are travelling in the shoulder months. Our guide to when to visit the north covers how Babusar's season fits into the broader picture of when different parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and Kaghan open up, and our Babusar Pass guide covers the drive itself in full.
Frequently asked questions
What is the temperature at Babusar Top today?
The weather box on this page shows the current temperature and the next three days for the pass from MET Norway, updated every 30 minutes. It is a model forecast for the pass's height, not a reading from a station at the top, so treat it as a guide.
How cold is it at Babusar Top in summer?
There are no official averages for the pass. Expect it to be about 10 °C colder than Naran at the same time of day, so a 20 °C afternoon in Naran means about 10 °C at the top, and the wind makes it feel colder than that.
How cold does Babusar Top get in winter?
The Met Office has put winter temperatures at the top at -25 to -30 °C, with icy winds (Aaj News, October 2022). The road is closed by snow through the winter.
Does it snow at Babusar Top in summer?
At the start and end of the season, yes. Snow was still disrupting the Babusar Top road on 31 May 2026 (Dawn), and the first snows of autumn can close the road in October or November, so check the forecast before you go up in any month.
What should I wear to Babusar Top?
A warm, windproof jacket, hat and gloves, whatever the month, plus sunglasses and sunscreen for the strong high-altitude sun.
Is Babusar Top colder than Naran?
Yes, significantly. It sits about 1,760 metres higher than Naran, and at the standard rate of cooling with height that makes it roughly 10 to 11 °C colder, before wind chill is taken into account.
When is the weather at Babusar Top most reliable?
Roughly June to September. May and the later autumn months carry a higher chance of snow, cold winds and sudden closures.
