When does winter start in Lahore? The first cool nights arrive in mid-November, and proper winter runs from about 1 December to mid-February, with January the coldest month. Multan follows almost the same calendar, a week or two later and slightly milder at night. Karachi barely has a winter at all: December to February is mild, and only brief cold spells push nights below 10°C. In the north, Skardu and Gilgit are already freezing at night by November.
So which month does winter start in Pakistan? For most of the plains, December, with November as the month it starts to feel like it. This guide gives the start for each main city, the coldest weeks, and the fog and smog weeks that matter more for travel than the cold itself.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Lahore | Cool nights from mid-November; winter about 1 December to 15 February |
| Multan | Cool nights from late November; winter December to mid-February |
| Islamabad | Cool nights from mid-November; coldest late December to January |
| Karachi | Mild winter December to February; no real cold season |
| Skardu and Gilgit | Freezing nights from November; hard winter December to February |
| Coldest month | January, almost everywhere |
| Fog | Mostly late December and January on the Punjab and upper Sindh plains |
| Smog | Roughly late October to January in Lahore and central Punjab |
Weather now in Lahore 217 m
Live weather loads here.
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), updated every 30 minutes. Mountain weather changes fast: check again before you set off.
Temperatures below are long-term averages from the climate tables on Wikipedia (1991 to 2020 normals from NOAA and the Pakistan Meteorological Department). Any single year can run a few degrees either way.
When does winter start in each city?
The table shows the average day and night temperatures from November to February. The month where the night low drops below about 10°C is the month most people start calling it winter.
| City | November | December | January | February |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lahore | 27°C / 14°C | 21°C / 9°C | 18°C / 8°C | 22°C / 11°C |
| Multan | 28°C / 13°C | 23°C / 7°C | 20°C / 6°C | 23°C / 9°C |
| Islamabad | 25°C / 9°C | 20°C / 5°C | 18°C / 4°C | 20°C / 7°C |
| Karachi | 33°C / 17°C | 28°C / 13°C | 28°C / 13°C | 28°C / 14°C |
| Skardu | 13°C / minus 2°C | 7°C / minus 6°C | 3°C / minus 8°C | 6°C / minus 4°C |
Figures are average daytime high / average night low, rounded.
When does winter start in Lahore?
October in Lahore is still warm, with afternoons around 32°C and nights around 20°C. The change comes in November: the average low falls to about 14°C, and by the last week of the month people are out in sweaters in the evening. The Climate of Lahore summary on Wikipedia counts winter as 1 December to 15 February, which matches how it feels on the ground.
December brings the first properly cold nights, averaging about 9°C. January is the coldest month, with afternoons around 18°C and nights around 8°C. The record low is about minus 2°C, so frost on open ground outside the city is possible, but the city itself does not see snow. By late February the days are warm again and spring is under way.
Our Lahore in winter guide covers what the season is like for a visit: wedding season, food and what to pack.
When does winter start in Multan?
Multan runs slightly warmer than Lahore in autumn and slightly colder on winter nights. November is still pleasant, with afternoons around 28°C and nights near 13°C. December is the real start of winter, when nights fall to about 7°C, and January is the coldest month at about 20°C by day and 6°C at night.
Because the days stay mild and dry, Multan's winter is short and comfortable for sightseeing. The record low is about minus 2°C. February warms quickly, and by March the afternoons are near 29°C. See our best time to visit Multan for the year as a whole.
Does Karachi have a winter?
Not much of one. Wikipedia's Karachi article describes winter as dry and lasting from December to February. Even in January the average afternoon is around 26°C to 28°C and the average night about 12°C to 13°C, depending on which data set you read.
What Karachi does get is the occasional cold spell, which locals call a "Quetta wave": very dry northerly winds that drop night temperatures below 10°C for a few days. That is when you see Karachi in jackets. The rest of the time a light shawl or sweater in the evening is enough. Our Karachi weather by month has the full year.
When does winter start in Islamabad and the north?
Islamabad turns cool in mid-November, with nights around 9°C, and is coldest from late December through January. We have a separate guide on when winter starts in Islamabad, with fog and snow odds for the capital.
Further north, winter comes earlier and much harder. In Skardu the average night low is already about 4°C in October and below freezing in November. January averages about 3°C by day and minus 8°C at night. Gilgit is a little milder, around 10°C by day and minus 3°C at night in January. Quetta has a cold winter too, from late November to February, but the whole of Balochistan is under foreign travel warnings; check current advice before any trip there.
Snow is a separate question from cold. Our guide to when snowfall starts in Pakistan covers the hill stations and northern valleys.
What is the coldest month in Pakistan?
January, for almost every city. In Lahore, Multan, Islamabad, Karachi and Skardu the January averages are the lowest of the year. Wikipedia's Climate of Pakistan article puts the typical January minimum on the Punjab plains at about 4°C, with sub-zero temperatures in the far north.
The coldest days usually come in two forms. One is the clear, still spell, when nights are cold and fog forms by morning. The other is a western disturbance, a rain-bearing system from the west that brings grey skies, rain on the plains and snow in the north. A wet January week on the plains can feel colder than the thermometer suggests, because most houses have no central heating.
When is the fog season?
Fog is the part of winter that disrupts travel. Wikipedia's Climate of Pakistan article notes that winter fog can stay for weeks over Punjab, upper Sindh and central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In practice the worst weeks are late December and January, though thick fog can form from mid-December and linger into February.
Fog forms overnight and is thickest before mid-morning. On bad days:
- Motorways such as the M-2, M-3, M-4 and M-5 can be closed by the Motorway Police until visibility improves. Our motorway fog closure guide explains how to time a departure.
- Flights from Lahore, Multan and Islamabad can be delayed or diverted in the early morning.
- Trains often run hours late in fog weeks.
Plan long drives for late morning to late afternoon, and avoid a tight connection on an early January flight.
When is smog season in Lahore?
Smog is the other winter problem, and it starts earlier than the cold. In Lahore and central Punjab it usually builds from late October, peaks in November and December, and eases by late January. Crop-stubble smoke, traffic and industry are trapped near the ground by cool, still air.
It is a recurring government emergency, not just a forecast. In November 2024 Punjab closed schools across much of the province during the worst spell. In 2025 the Punjab government ordered schools not to open before 8:45 am from 3 November 2025 to 31 January 2026, to cut morning traffic, as Lahore's air quality index sat in the hazardous 300 to 400 range at the start of November. Our Lahore smog guide covers how to check live air quality and cope during a visit.
When should you plan a winter trip around this?
For the plains, the most comfortable winter weeks are the second half of November and February. The days are dry and mild, nights are cool without being cold, and fog is less likely. The weeks to treat with care are late December and January, for fog, and November, for smog in Lahore.
For snow, go north or to the hills in late December to February. Our winter travel guide lists where to go, and the when to go page covers the seasons across the country. Karachi and the coast are at their best in December and January, when the rest of the country is cold.
Frequently asked questions
When does winter start in Lahore?
Nights turn cool in mid-November, and winter proper runs from about 1 December to mid-February. January is the coldest month, with nights around 8°C.
When does winter start in Multan?
The first cool nights come in late November, and December is when nights fall to about 7°C. January is the coldest month and February warms up quickly.
Which month does winter start in Pakistan?
On the plains, December, with November as the transition. In Gilgit-Baltistan nights are below freezing from November.
Does it snow in Lahore or Multan?
No. Both cities can touch freezing on rare nights, but snow falls only in the hills and the north.
When does winter end in Pakistan?
On the plains, by late February or early March, when afternoons climb back towards 25°C to 30°C. In the north the cold lasts into March.
