Shafaq News– Erbil/ Kirkuk
Heavy snowfall blanketed Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, on the final day of the year, covering mountains and valleys as residents prepared to mark the New Year.
Shafaq News footage showed snow across wide areas of the capital, including stretches of the Erbil–Al-Sulaymaniyah road, the Rania route, and the Kasnazan subdistrict, where overnight accumulation reshaped the landscape.
A sharp cold wave has swept the Kurdistan Region in recent days, bringing snowfall to Erbil, Duhok, and Al-Sulaymaniyah, and reaching the Erbil–Kirkuk highway during a peak holiday travel period.
In neighboring Kirkuk, northern districts such as Qarah Anjir recorded heavy snowfall that turned mountains and plains white and drew visitors from Baghdad and southern provinces. From early morning, families moved toward higher ground where snow covered farm roads and village edges, with children playing outdoors and visitors gathering for photos in scenes locals described as rare.
Kirkuk resident Abbas Khaled told Shafaq News that the snowfall brought renewed activity to the area, noting, “Qarah Anjir has become a focal point over the past two days as visitors arrived from across the country during the holiday.”
Speaking to Shafaq News, Asmaa Abdul Jabbar, an employee from Kirkuk, described the landscape as “offering psychological relief after months of routine pressures,” pointing to families spreading across the fields in a lively, communal atmosphere. Snow in northern Kirkuk, she noted, is uncommon, prompting many to document the moment with photos and videos, especially for younger visitors.
Another resident, Anas Khurshid, told our agency, “The conditions appeal particularly to visitors from southern provinces who rarely encounter such weather, effectively turning the area into a short-term winter attraction.”
Meanwhile, Hussein Abdullah attributed the strong turnout to a desire to escape urban congestion and reconnect with nature, urging authorities to manage visitor movement and maintain road safety as icy conditions persist in some locations.
Read more: Discover Kurdistan: The Middle East's best-kept travel secret