When does snowfall start in Pakistan? It starts on the highest ground in September and October, reaches the hill stations of Galiyat and Naran from November, and usually arrives in Murree in December. The very first flakes are almost always at 3,700 metres and above: Babusar Top, Khunjerab, Deosai and the upper valleys of Swat. In 2026 the first snow of the year was reported in upper Swat, Kaghan and Babusar as early as 5 September.
There is no fixed date, because the timing depends on western disturbances, the weather systems that carry winter snow into the mountains. This guide gives recent dates for each region so you can see the pattern, and says what each start means for roads and trips. For the year as a whole, see our when to go guide.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| High passes (Babusar, Khunjerab, Deosai) | September to mid-October |
| Kaghan and Naran, upper Swat | October to November |
| Galiyat (Nathia Gali, Ayubia) and Murree | Usually December, sometimes January |
| Quetta and Ziarat | Mid-November to December in a typical year |
| Islamabad | Almost never; a rare dusting on the Margalla ridge |
Where and when the first snow falls
Snow arrives from the top down, so the height of a place tells you more than its region. Here are recent examples of first-snow reports from news sources.
September and October: the high passes
- Upper Swat and Kaghan, 5 September 2026. Local news reported the first snow of the year on the peaks around Kalam, with snow also reported at Naran, Kaghan and Babusar Top the same day, and rain in Murree and the Galiyat.
- Gilgit-Baltistan, 5 October 2025. Dawn reported that Khunjerab Top and Babusar Top, both above 12,000 feet (about 3,700 metres), received the first snow of the season, with up to about 3 inches at Khunjerab. Lower parts of Gilgit, Hunza, Nagar, Diamer, Astore and Baltistan only had scattered rain.
- Kaghan and Babusar, 10 October 2023. Dawn reported snow on Babusar Top and around Lulusar Lake that blocked roads, and the hills of Shangla district also had snow.
- Deosai. The plateau is snowbound for roughly half the year, and the road from Skardu usually closes with the first heavy autumn snow, often in mid to late October. See our guide on whether Deosai National Park is open or closed.
The practical result is the closing of the summer routes. Babusar and Khunjerab can shut for a day or two at a time from late September, and Babusar Top has closed to night traffic after early snow. Our page on Babusar Top snowfall dates has more on that pass.
Gilgit-Baltistan valleys: Skardu, Hunza, Astore
The passes are not the valleys. Snow on Khunjerab in October does not mean snow in Karimabad. Residents and officials say first snow in Skardu and the valley floors normally comes in late November, but recent winters have been much later. Dawn reported on 18 January 2026 that the first snow of that season in Skardu and nearby areas had only fallen the previous Friday, weeks behind schedule, and that Skardu got only 2 to 3 inches. In the winter before, Dawn's report of the first snowfall in Astore, Skardu, Ghanche, Hunza, Nagar and Ghizer is dated 27 February 2025, and that fall briefly blocked the Karakoram Highway and Baltistan Road.
Gilgit-Baltistan's environmental protection agency has warned that snow arriving in mid-January or February compacts poorly and melts quickly the following summer, which raises flood risk downstream. For a traveller, the message is that "usual" dates in GB are now a weak guide: a valley trip in December may be dry and clear, or may not be.
November: Kaghan, Naran, Kalam and Chitral
By November the snow line drops into the valleys that tourists visit. Local and national press typically report the first "tourist snow" in the second half of the month in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Kaghan and Naran, upper Swat and Dir, Chitral and the Galiyat. It usually stays light in November, with heavier falls from December. For late December 2025 the Nation reported a five-day snow festival in Kalam after snowfall there.
Much of this area is covered by security advisories, see the safety section below.
December: Murree and Galiyat
Murree's first snow of the season is usually reported in the second half of December. In 2024 it arrived on 24 December, with a minimum of about minus 1°C and a maximum of about 8°C, and authorities deployed around 200 traffic wardens and made several roads one-way. Punjab authorities have also announced an official Murree snowfall season, in 2024 to 2025 from 15 December to 15 March, which is a planning window rather than a forecast.
The key point for travellers is that snowfall in Murree is short-lived and usually comes in one or two spells. Our Murree snowfall guide covers the chances by month.
Quetta, Ziarat and Balochistan
Northern Balochistan sees winter rain and snow from November. Press reports going back several years describe Quetta and Ziarat receiving their first winter snow in mid-November in some years, and Balochistan snowfall disrupting traffic in late December in others. Balochistan is subject to strong UK advice against travel, so treat this as information rather than a suggestion.
Islamabad and Lahore
Not a snow destination. Snow in the city of Islamabad is a rare event remembered by year, and Lahore does not get snow. If you want to see snow near the capital, go up to the Galiyat or Murree.
Why the timing changes each year
Winter snow in the north comes from western disturbances, which usually begin reaching Pakistan in October and become regular in December to March. In some years the first system is strong and early, as in early October 2023 and early September 2026; in others the first real snow at low levels is delayed until late December or January. Dawn's October 2025 report noted that snow had been late in recent years in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Do not plan on the average. Use it to choose a window, and check the PMD forecast a few days before you travel.
What first snow means for your trip
- Roads close before you expect. Snow at 3,700 metres shuts the high passes even while the valleys below are clear.
- Jeep tracks stop first. Deosai, and the tracks to places such as Fairy Meadows, become unusable earlier than main roads.
- Snow chains and a driver who knows snow. Murree and Galiyat roads become dangerous within hours of heavy snowfall. Read our driving in snow guide before setting out.
- Hotel heating. Many mountain hotels have only room heaters. Ask what is provided.
- Spare days. Snow spells can strand cars on the way in or out, so avoid a same-day flight home from Islamabad after a heavy fall.
Is it safe to go to see the first snow?
Some of the places where snow is most talked about in the press sit in areas the UK government advises against visiting. Its Pakistan travel advice, updated 22 September 2026, advises against all travel to Swat, Upper and Lower Dir and the Kalash valleys, against all travel to the N45 from Mardan to Chitral, against all travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, and against all travel in Balochistan. Swat was hit by a suicide bombing on 2 August 2026. Gilgit-Baltistan and the Babusar route are not on that list.
Pakistani families do continue to travel to snow destinations, but check local news and current police advice before setting out, and if you hold a foreign passport, check your own government's advice, because travelling against it can void insurance.
Who should chase the first snow, and who should wait?
Early-season snow suits people who can change dates at short notice and who are comfortable with roads closing: photographers, small groups, anyone travelling with a driver who knows the route. The risk is that "first snow" in October means shut passes and cold nights, not a winter holiday.
It does not suit families who must fix dates months in advance, or first-time winter drivers. If your priority is a snowy hill-station weekend with a reasonable chance of success, late December to early February is the safer window, and the places to see snow in Pakistan are covered separately.
Frequently asked questions
When does it start snowing in Pakistan?
On the highest passes, from September to mid-October. Murree and the Galiyat normally get their first snow in December, sometimes January.
When does Murree get its first snowfall?
Usually in the second half of December. In 2024 it was on 24 December, and there is no guarantee of snow on any particular date.
Does it snow in Skardu?
Yes, in winter. Deosai above it closes with the first heavy snow, typically mid to late October, but the town itself has had its first snow as late as mid-January (2026) in recent winters.
Does it snow in Islamabad?
Almost never. A light dusting on the Margalla ridge happens only after a hard cold spell.
When is snowfall in Naran and Kaghan?
Early snow can fall on the upper valley and Babusar Top from September to October, with regular snowfall from November. Roads beyond the lower valley close in winter.
What month has the most snowfall in Pakistan?
There is no single answer. In Gilgit-Baltistan the heaviest falls have recently come in January and February, but it varies by year and by place.
