Eastern Europe
Georgia
Gudauri
Natural snow at mid-mountain (2,634 m) is reliably skiable from 1 Jan to 30 Apr. At the peak of the season the village at 1,990 m is snow-sure (99% of days) and modelled snowfall at the summit averages 43 cm a fortnight.
How natural snow at Gudauri has changed
Days each winter (November to April) with 30 cm or more of natural snow, every winter since 1950. The lines are the averages for 1961/62 to 1990/91 and 1995/96 to 2024/25.
Village, 1,990 m
15 fewer days a winter with 30 cm or more than in 1961–1990.Mid-mountain, 2,634 m
12 fewer days a winter with 30 cm or more than in 1961–1990.Modelled from ERA5 weather (Copernicus Climate Change Service), one consistent record for every winter. Checked against measured snow, this model got the direction of change right at 18 of 19 Swiss weather stations and 22 of 25 US snow stations, but overstated its size: a typical loss of 26 days against 17 measured in Switzerland, and 12 against 6 in the US. Read the changes as upper estimates. See the measurements · All 104 resorts since 1950
Month by month
October
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 6% of days.
November
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 40% of days.
December
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 80% of days, typically 56 cm deep. In the worst of the thirty winters there was none. Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 54 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
January
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (2,634 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 95% of days, with a typical depth of 79 cm. In the worst of the thirty winters there was none. Snow usually reaches the village too (65% of days). Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 52 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
February
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (2,634 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 100% of days, with a typical depth of 90 cm. The worst of the thirty winters managed 67%. Snow usually reaches the village too (92% of days). Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 54 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
March
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (2,634 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 100% of days, with a typical depth of 106 cm. The worst of the thirty winters managed 100%. Snow usually reaches the village too (96% of days). Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 103 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
April
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (2,634 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 99% of days, with a typical depth of 111 cm. The worst of the thirty winters managed 73%. Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 132 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
May
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 66% of days, typically 53 cm deep. In the worst of the thirty winters there was none. The village is usually bare. Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 110 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
June to September
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
Questions
When is the best time to ski Gudauri?
For natural snow, 1 Jan to 30 Apr. In that window mid-mountain (2,634 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on at least 90% of days across thirty winters. March is the most reliable month.
Is there snow at Gudauri in December?
In December, mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 80% of days over thirty winters, typically 56 cm deep. One or more seasons had none at all.
Does the snow reach the village at Gudauri?
At its most reliable, in March, the village at 1,990 m had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 96% of days. You can usually ski back to the village.
How high is Gudauri?
The modelled village is at 1,990 m, mid-mountain at 2,634 m and the summit at 3,279 m. The ski area itself spans 1,989 m to 3,246 m.
How much does natural snow vary from winter to winter at Gudauri?
Across the thirty winters modelled, mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of natural snow on between 110 and 225 days per season, with a typical winter around 185. Thirty winters show how much one season can differ from the next. For how snow has changed since 1950, see the long record below.
What is the nearest airport to Gudauri?
Tbilisi (TBS) is about 98 km away in a straight line. David the Builder Kutaisi (KUT) is 167 km away. Road distances are longer.