Winter in real life can be cold, dark and a little boring – but winter in GTA 5? That‘s where the fun really starts. Snowy streets, festive lights, glowing decorations and cozy winter vibes can completely change how Los Santos feels. Whether you‘re cruising through the city at night, role-playing on a server or just replaying Story Mode for the hundredth time, winter GTA 5 mods breathe fresh life into the game.
Rockstar only gives us snow for a limited time each year, but thanks to the modding community, you don‘t have to wait for December updates anymore. With the right FiveM mods, you can turn GTA 5 into a full winter experience – from realistic snowfall and icy roads to Christmas lights and even snow-themed hit effects.
In this article, we‘ll go through five of the best winter mods for GTA 5. We‘ll break down what each mod does, why it‘s worth installing, and how they work together. After that, you‘ll find a full installation guide, including an easy one-click method using the FiveMods app, plus the classic manual setup for other GTA 5 graphic mods.
Grab a hot drink, boot up your PC and let‘s freeze Los Santos!
Winter Wonderland 2026 (FiveMods Modpack)
Winter Wonderland 2026 is the latest winter modpack from FiveMods, built as a full seasonal upgrade for GTA 5. This pack isn‘t just about adding snow – it focuses on environment interaction, animation, and atmosphere, making winter in Los Santos feel alive and believable.
This version is exclusive to FiveMods, and all features are designed specifically for the FiveMods ecosystem. And what’s more pleasant, all of these mods are completely free, so you can play even without a subscription!
Snow Emulation
At the heart of Winter Wonderland 2026 is an advanced snow emulation system, first introduced in Winter 2024 and now refined for this release.
Instead of relying only on static weather presets, the system:
- Creates a consistent winter look across the map
- Blends naturally with lighting, decorations, and world assets
- Maintains stable performance while keeping the environment snowy and cold
This makes this GTA 5 graphic mod ideal for long play sessions, RP servers, and cinematic gameplay without constantly forcing extreme weather states.
Snowdrifts (With Collision)
Unlike visual-only snowbanks, Winter Wonderland 2026 includes snowdrifts with full collision.
That means:
- Snow piles physically block movement
- Vehicles react to snowbanks
- Streets and sidewalks feel genuinely affected by winter
This adds real gameplay impact and makes the world feel heavier, colder, and more realistic. You‘ll need to drive more carefully, choose paths wisely, and actually play around the winter environment. You can also install snowdrifts without collision, and feel free to ride everywhere!
Animated Palm Trees
Los Santos wouldn‘t be Los Santos without palm trees – and Winter Wonderland 2026 makes sure they don‘t feel frozen in time.
The modpack adds animated palm trees that:
- React naturally to wind
- Add subtle motion to the environment
- Make the city feel alive even during quiet snowy nights
It‘s a small detail that makes a huge difference once you notice it.
Twinkle Lights
Winter atmosphere lives and dies by lighting, and this GTA 5 modpack delivers.
The animated streetlights feature:
- Smooth lighting animations
- Better interaction with snowfall and fog
- A more cinematic nighttime look
Driving through the city at night feels colder, cozier, and way more immersive – especially when combined with other winter and Christmas FiveM mods.
Christmas in Singleplayer (Snow Mod)
This is the classic winter FiveM mod that most GTA players start with – and for good reason. Christmas in Singleplayer from GTA5 mods brings proper snow back into Story Mode, just like the winter events in GTA Online.
Once installed, the entire map gets covered in snow. Roads turn white, rooftops are frosted and snowfall becomes a constant part of the atmosphere. Driving feels different, braking takes longer and the whole city suddenly feels quieter and colder.
What makes this mod special is how “official” it feels. It doesn‘t just slap a snow texture on the ground – it changes weather patterns, adds snow effects and recreates Rockstar‘s winter vibe almost perfectly. If you‘ve ever wished Story Mode had seasonal changes, this mod is basically the answer.
It‘s best suited for players who want:
- A full snow-covered map
- GTA Online–style winter in singleplayer
- A simple but effective winter transformation
This mod works especially well as a base layer for other winter GTA 5 mods.
Winter Expansion 2024 from FiveMods
Winter Expansion is where things start to feel modern and polished. This FiveM mod comes from FiveMods and focuses on the winter atmosphere rather than just dumping snow everywhere.
Instead of forcing snow at all times, Winter Expansion:
- Adds bare winter trees
- Improves snow textures
- Adds Christmas decorations
- Adjusts lighting and ambience
- Can enable snow automatically when needed
What‘s great about this GTA 5 graphic mod is flexibility. It‘s designed to work even on servers that don‘t normally support snow, making it ideal for RP players and FiveM-style setups. The world feels cold and seasonal even when snow isn‘t constantly falling.
It‘s lighter than a full overhaul but still transforms the city in a noticeable way. Streets feel calmer and the overall vibe screams winter.
Xmas Lights
This mod is pure festive joy.
Xmas Lights reworks streetlights across Los Santos and decorates them with:
- Animated garlands
- Christmas decorations
- Holiday-themed light colors
- Seasonal hanging elements
The best part? The lighting isn‘t static. Colors shift, glow changes and everything feels alive at night. Driving through downtown or residential areas suddenly feels like cruising through a city ready for Christmas.
This mod doesn‘t touch gameplay mechanics, which makes it perfect to combine with heavier winter FiveM mods. It‘s lightweight and massively improves nighttime visuals.
If you love night driving, screenshots or RP immersion, this one is a must.
Snow
This one is small, fun and surprisingly satisfying.
Snow replaces standard hit effects with snowflake-themed visuals. When bullets land or hits register, you‘ll see snow particles instead of the usual effects.
It doesn‘t change balance or mechanics – it‘s purely visual – but it adds a playful winter touch to combat and gameplay interactions. Perfect for holiday servers, winter events or just messing around with friends.
Think of it as the cherry on top of your winter setup.
Xmas Decorations
Xmas Decorations brings a vibrant holiday atmosphere to Los Santos by adding festive elements throughout the city. The GTA 5 mod introduces colorful purple and yellow lights hanging above streets, creating a lively and celebratory look across urban areas. In addition to overhead lighting, various New Year and Christmas-themed decorations appear near traffic lights, intersections, and key road spots, making everyday locations feel seasonal and alive.
These details in this Fivem mod are carefully placed to enhance immersion without affecting gameplay or performance. The city keeps its familiar layout and flow, while visual accents transform it into a festive winter environment. Xmas Decorations is ideal for players who want a strong holiday vibe, filled with color and seasonal charm, without changing core mechanics or traffic behavior.
Installation Guide: How to Install Winter Mods in GTA 5
Now let‘s talk about installation – because this is where a lot of players get confused. Don‘t worry, we‘ll break it down step by step. Moreover, all mods from Winter Wonderland 2026 you can install separately. Just choose the modifications you like, find them in the library and install in seconds.
Installing FiveMods Mods (One-Click Method)
GTA 5 Mods from FiveMods (like Winter Expansion, Xmas Lights and Hit Effect | Snow) are the easiest to install.
Step-by-step process:
- Join the official FiveMods Discord
- Download and install the FiveMods App (it‘s usually pinned)
- Launch the app
- Select your GTA 5 installation folder
- Browse FiveM mods directly inside the app
- Click Install
- Done – the app places everything correctly
No manual file copying. No guessing folders. No broken installs.
This method is perfect if:
- You want fast setup
- You don‘t like digging through directories
- You play often and switch mods regularly
Installing Non-FiveMods Mods (Manual Method)
GTA 5 graphic mods like Christmas in Singleplayer and Winter in GTA V – Complete require manual installation.
You‘ll usually need:
- OpenIV
- ASI Loader
- Script Hook V
General process:
- Install OpenIV
- Enable Edit Mode
- Install ASI Loader via OpenIV
- Install Script Hook V
- Follow the mod‘s specific instructions (OIV installer or manual file replacement)
- Always back up original files
These FiveM mods give you deeper changes but require more care. Take your time and double-check instructions – it‘s worth it.
Final Thoughts: Build Your Perfect GTA 5 Winter
Winter FiveM mods turn GTA 5 into something special. The city feels slower, quieter and more atmospheric. Whether you want full snow chaos, subtle seasonal vibes or festive decorations everywhere, these 5 mods cover all bases.
Best combo recommendation:
- Christmas in Singleplayer (base snow)
- Winter in GTA V – Complete (immersion)
- Winter Expansion (atmosphere)
- Xmas Lights (visuals)
- Hit Effect | Snow (fun detail)
Mix and match depending on performance and playstyle – and most importantly, enjoy Los Santos in a way Rockstar never fully delivered.
If GTA 5 is your comfort game, winter FiveM mods make it feel like coming home!
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