Eastern Europe
Serbia
Kopaonik
Natural snow at mid-mountain (1,758 m) is reliably skiable from 1 Jan to 31 Mar. At the peak of the season the village at 1,500 m is usually skiable (86% of days) and modelled snowfall at the summit averages 35 cm a fortnight.
How natural snow at Kopaonik 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, 1,500 m
22 fewer days a winter with 30 cm or more than in 1961–1990.Mid-mountain, 1,758 m
10 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
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
November
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 12% of days.
December
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 68% of days, typically 41 cm deep. In the worst of the thirty winters there was none. Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 88 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
January
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (1,758 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 98% of days, with a typical depth of 78 cm. The worst of the thirty winters managed 20%. Snow usually reaches the village too (80% of days). Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 76 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
February
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (1,758 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 99% of days, with a typical depth of 106 cm. The worst of the thirty winters managed 31%. Snow usually reaches the village too (84% of days). Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 68 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
March
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (1,758 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 98% of days, with a typical depth of 108 cm. The worst of the thirty winters managed 44%. Snow usually reaches the village too (70% of days). Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 84 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
April
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 40% of days.
May to September
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
Questions
When is the best time to ski Kopaonik?
For natural snow, 1 Jan to 31 Mar. In that window mid-mountain (1,758 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on at least 90% of days across thirty winters. February is the most reliable month.
Is there snow at Kopaonik in December?
In December, mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 68% of days over thirty winters, typically 41 cm deep. One or more seasons had none at all.
Does the snow reach the village at Kopaonik?
At its most reliable, in February, the village at 1,500 m had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 84% of days. You can usually ski back to the village.
How high is Kopaonik?
The modelled village is at 1,500 m, mid-mountain at 1,758 m and the summit at 2,017 m. The ski area itself spans 1,502 m to 1,974 m.
How much does natural snow vary from winter to winter at Kopaonik?
Across the thirty winters modelled, mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of natural snow on between 69 and 157 days per season, with a typical winter around 127. 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 Kopaonik?
Morava (KVO) is about 62 km away in a straight line. Priština Adem Jashari (PRN) is 82 km away. Road distances are longer.