When the first snow comes in Afghanistan, province by province

Photo: Burhan Azizi

How to read the lists

The dates come from Open-Meteo's historical weather data (the ERA5 reanalysis of the Copernicus Climate Change Service), for the 15 winters from 2010-11 to 2024-25, at the provincial capital. "First snow" is the first day from 1 September on with at least 1 centimetre of snow in that data. We give the middle date of the 15 winters, and where it is useful the range that covers the middle half of them: one winter in four came earlier, one in four later. "Coldest week" is the seven days with the lowest average temperature across the 15 years.

This is a model of each place, not a thermometer. The grid is about 25 kilometres wide, so a village high above the capital gets snow sooner and more of it. Any single winter can differ by weeks from these middle dates. The height shown is the model's own height for the place. Each name links to that province's weather page, which shows the forecast for the days ahead and lists its districts.

Above 1,700 metres: the first snow in November

These capitals sit high. In Nuristan, Daykundi, Kabul, Logar, Bamyan, Ghor and Ghazni the middle date falls between 14 and 28 November. Panjshir, Paktika, Wardak and Paktia are the exceptions: their first centimetre usually waits until December or early January.

• Nuristan (2,755 m): first snow about 14 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 6 Nov and 21 Nov); coldest week about 8 Jan to 14 Jan
• Daykundi (2,077 m): first snow about 15 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 8 Nov and 5 Dec); coldest week about 21 Jan to 27 Jan
• Kabul (1,792 m): first snow about 22 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 13 Nov and 6 Dec); coldest week about 22 Jan to 28 Jan
• Logar (1,916 m): first snow about 25 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 17 Nov and 22 Dec); coldest week about 20 Jan to 26 Jan
• Bamyan (2,549 m): first snow about 26 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 15 Nov and 15 Dec); coldest week about 21 Jan to 27 Jan
• Ghor (2,271 m): first snow about 28 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 21 Nov and 15 Dec); coldest week about 21 Jan to 27 Jan
• Ghazni (2,176 m): first snow about 28 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 14 Nov and 22 Dec); coldest week about 5 Feb to 11 Feb
• Panjshir (1,967 m): first snow about 12 Dec (in the middle half of winters, between 3 Dec and 3 Jan); coldest week about 21 Jan to 27 Jan
• Paktika (2,146 m): first snow about 13 Dec (in the middle half of winters, between 9 Dec and 1 Jan); coldest week about 5 Feb to 11 Feb
• Wardak (2,206 m): first snow about 15 Dec (in the middle half of winters, between 10 Dec and 1 Jan); coldest week about 20 Jan to 26 Jan
• Paktia (2,305 m): first snow about 3 Jan (in the middle half of winters, between 22 Dec and 11 Jan); coldest week about 4 Feb to 10 Feb

Photo: Ali Azad

Between 1,000 and 1,700 metres: late November to January

• Parwan (1,567 m): first snow about 28 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 8 Nov and 12 Dec); coldest week about 4 Feb to 10 Feb
• Kapisa (1,466 m): first snow about 6 Dec (in the middle half of winters, between 8 Nov and 29 Dec); coldest week about 20 Jan to 26 Jan
• Badakhshan (1,213 m): first snow about 13 Dec (in the middle half of winters, between 5 Dec and 10 Jan); coldest week about 7 Jan to 13 Jan
• Zabul (1,569 m): first snow about 7 Jan (in the middle half of winters, between 15 Dec and 17 Jan); coldest week about 21 Jan to 27 Jan
• Khost (1,183 m): a day with 1 cm or more fell in only 11 of 15 winters, the first usually about 14 Jan; coldest week about 21 Jan to 27 Jan
• Uruzgan (1,324 m): first snow about 18 Jan (in the middle half of winters, between 1 Jan and 10 Feb); coldest week about 21 Jan to 27 Jan
• Kandahar (1,018 m): snow is rare, a day with 1 cm or more fell in only 5 of 15 winters; coldest week about 12 Jan to 18 Jan

Below 1,000 metres: late November to January, or almost never

In the north (Takhar, Sar-e Pul, Faryab, Baghlan, Kunduz, Balkh, Jowzjan) the first snow is usually between late November and late December. Herat and Samangan wait until January. In Kunar, Helmand, Farah, Nangarhar and Nimroz a centimetre of snow in a day is rare, even though the mountains above some of them are white.

• Takhar (808 m): first snow about 23 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 14 Nov and 15 Dec); coldest week about 7 Jan to 13 Jan
• Sar-e Pul (628 m): first snow about 23 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 17 Nov and 23 Dec); coldest week about 11 Jan to 17 Jan
• Faryab (864 m): first snow about 28 Nov (in the middle half of winters, between 13 Nov and 16 Dec); coldest week about 11 Jan to 17 Jan
• Baghlan (640 m): first snow about 3 Dec (in the middle half of winters, between 14 Nov and 9 Dec); coldest week about 11 Jan to 17 Jan
• Badghis (888 m): first snow about 8 Dec (in the middle half of winters, between 20 Nov and 10 Jan); coldest week about 11 Jan to 17 Jan
• Kunduz (409 m): first snow about 13 Dec (in the middle half of winters, between 22 Nov and 22 Jan); coldest week about 27 Dec to 2 Jan
• Laghman (798 m): a day with 1 cm or more fell in only 10 of 15 winters, the first usually about 15 Dec; coldest week about 8 Jan to 14 Jan
• Jowzjan (360 m): first snow about 15 Dec (in the middle half of winters, between 22 Nov and 13 Jan); coldest week about 11 Jan to 17 Jan
• Balkh (365 m): first snow about 21 Dec (in the middle half of winters, between 7 Dec and 13 Jan); coldest week about 11 Jan to 17 Jan
• Herat (925 m): first snow about 7 Jan (in the middle half of winters, between 8 Dec and 20 Jan); coldest week about 11 Jan to 17 Jan
• Samangan (967 m): first snow about 10 Jan (in the middle half of winters, between 15 Dec and 24 Jan); coldest week about 4 Jan to 10 Jan
• Nangarhar (571 m): a day with 1 cm or more fell in only 7 of 15 winters, the first usually about 22 Jan; coldest week about 4 Jan to 10 Jan
• Kunar (814 m): snow is rare, a day with 1 cm or more fell in only 2 of 15 winters; coldest week about 5 Jan to 11 Jan
• Helmand (788 m): snow is rare, a day with 1 cm or more fell in only 2 of 15 winters; coldest week about 12 Jan to 18 Jan
• Farah (661 m): snow is rare, a day with 1 cm or more fell in only 3 of 15 winters; coldest week about 11 Jan to 17 Jan
• Nimroz (486 m): snow is rare, a day with 1 cm or more fell in only 1 of 15 winters; coldest week about 12 Jan to 18 Jan

What to do with the dates

• Prepare before the middle date, not after it. Fuel, blankets and warm clothes cost more once the snow has come. Our piece on staying warm safely covers heaters, sandali and carbon monoxide.
• Snow on the road comes earlier than snow in the city. Passes close at heights the capitals never reach. See the roads and passes page, the Salang in winter and the other winter roads.
• For degrees rather than snow, read how cold Kabul, Herat, Mazar, Kandahar and Jalalabad get.

A model's date is an average, not a forecast. Before you travel, check the forecast for your province and the state of the road, and never drive a pass in snow without chains.