Georgia Weather in January
Georgia weather in January gives you three different winters within a few hours' drive. Tbilisi is cold, bright and nearly dry, with afternoons around 7 °C (45 °F), nights just below freezing and only about 4 rainy days. Batumi stays milder at about 12 °C (54 °F) but collects some 235 mm of rain. Up in the Greater Caucasus, Gudauri and Kazbegi stay below zero all day, with nights of roughly -8 to -10 °C (18 to 14 °F), which is exactly what the ski slopes want. The month opens with New Year, followed by Orthodox Christmas on 7 January.
Black Sea coast
On the coast, January means soft air and frequent rain. Batumi gets about 235 mm over some 14 wet days, and Gonio and Sarpi collect even more. Days are the mildest in the country at around 11-12 °C, and Batumi's nights stay at about 5-6 °C. Kobuleti and Ureki are frostier after dark, near 2-3 °C. The sea has cooled to about 11 °C, far too cold to swim.
Kutaisi and the western lowlands
Kutaisi and the Imereti lowlands are mild but grey: about 9 °C by day, 3-4 °C at night and roughly 12 rainy days. Zugdidi and Tskaltubo run a degree or so warmer. Hard frost is uncommon, so Gelati, Motsameta and the Prometheus Cave near Tskaltubo stay easy to visit, as long as you carry a waterproof. Upland Imereti around Chiatura is noticeably colder, with nights near -1 °C.
Tbilisi, Kakheti and the east
For Tbilisi and Rustavi this is the driest month of the year: the capital gets only about 16 mm. Rustavi, the mildest town in the east, reaches almost 9 °C by day. Kakheti runs a little colder, with Telavi topping out near 7 °C and hilltop Sighnaghi near 5 °C, and frost on most nights. Snow sometimes dusts the Alazani Valley vineyards but usually melts within days. Inland, Gori and Borjomi drop to -3 or -4 °C after dark.
Mountains (1,300 m and higher)
This is the heart of the ski season. Gudauri stays below freezing even at midday (about -3.5 °C), and Tetnuldi above Mestia is the coldest resort at night, near -12 °C; Bakuriani and Goderdzi are running too. Kazbegi is cold but fairly dry, with about 4 wet days. The Jvari Pass road to Kazbegi is kept open, yet it usually shuts for hours or days after heavy snow. Tusheti, Khevsureti and the Zagari Pass beyond Ushguli stay snowbound.
January weather in every place
| Place | High °C | Low °C | Rain | Rain days | Sea °C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Sea coast | |||||
| Batumi | 12° | 6° | 235 mm | 14 | 11° |
| Anaklia | 11° | 6° | 133 mm | 13 | 11° |
| Ureki | 11° | 2° | 180 mm | 13 | 11° |
| Shekvetili | 11° | 2° | 199 mm | 13 | 11° |
| Grigoleti | 11° | 3° | 167 mm | 13 | 11° |
| Poti | 11° | 4° | 155 mm | 14 | 11° |
| Kobuleti | 11° | 3° | 238 mm | 13 | 11° |
| Gonio | 11° | 6° | 274 mm | 15 | 11° |
| Sarpi | 11° | 6° | 259 mm | 15 | 11° |
| Chakvi | 11° | 4° | 255 mm | 15 | 11° |
| Kutaisi and the western lowlands | |||||
| Zugdidi | 11° | 2° | 141 mm | 12 | |
| Lanchkhuti | 11° | 1° | 179 mm | 14 | |
| Ozurgeti | 11° | 1° | 208 mm | 14 | |
| Tskaltubo | 10° | 4° | 159 mm | 12 | |
| Kutaisi | 9° | 4° | 138 mm | 12 | |
| Martvili | 9° | 2° | 154 mm | 13 | |
| Chiatura | 7° | −1° | 108 mm | 12 | |
| Ambrolauri | 6° | −3° | 83 mm | 12 | |
| Khulo | 5° | −2° | 187 mm | 15 | |
| Lentekhi | 5° | −4° | 104 mm | 10 | |
| Oni | 5° | −3° | 75 mm | 10 | |
| Sairme | 4° | −4° | 67 mm | 12 | |
| Tbilisi, Kakheti and the east | |||||
| Rustavi | 9° | 1° | 17 mm | 4 | |
| Marneuli | 8° | 0° | 18 mm | 4 | |
| Gurjaani | 8° | 1° | 31 mm | 6 | |
| Kvareli | 8° | 0° | 41 mm | 7 | |
| Lagodekhi | 7° | 1° | 41 mm | 6 | |
| Tbilisi | 7° | 0° | 16 mm | 4 | |
| Bolnisi | 7° | −2° | 18 mm | 4 | |
| Telavi | 7° | −1° | 28 mm | 5 | |
| Mtskheta | 7° | −1° | 23 mm | 5 | |
| Sighnaghi | 6° | −2° | 30 mm | 7 | |
| Gori | 6° | −3° | 29 mm | 6 | |
| Dedoplistskaro | 5° | −3° | 30 mm | 5 | |
| Borjomi | 5° | −4° | 37 mm | 8 | |
| Ananuri | 4° | −6° | 32 mm | 6 | |
| Surami | 4° | −3° | 75 mm | 11 | |
| Akhaltsikhe | 3° | −7° | 22 mm | 5 | |
| Pasanauri | 3° | −6° | 46 mm | 6 | |
| Mountains (1,300 m and higher) | |||||
| Kojori | 3° | −6° | 36 mm | 7 | |
| Tsalka | 2° | −9° | 18 mm | 5 | |
| Shatili | 2° | −6° | 35 mm | 5 | |
| Vardzia | 2° | −10° | 18 mm | 5 | |
| Abastumani | 1° | −8° | 42 mm | 8 | |
| Mestia | 0° | −7° | 61 mm | 10 | |
| Mazeri | 0° | −7° | 76 mm | 11 | |
| Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) | 0° | −8° | 30 mm | 4 | |
| Bakuriani | −1° | −10° | 53 mm | 10 | |
| Akhalkalaki | −1° | −11° | 31 mm | 7 | |
| Bakhmaro | −1° | −9° | 172 mm | 16 | |
| Gomismta | −1° | −9° | 246 mm | 18 | |
| Omalo (Tusheti) | −1° | −9° | 29 mm | 4 | |
| Goderdzi | −2° | −9° | 124 mm | 15 | |
| Ninotsminda | −2° | −13° | 24 mm | 6 | |
| Adishi | −3° | −11° | 89 mm | 11 | |
| Paravani Lake | −3° | −13° | 33 mm | 8 | |
| Ushguli | −3° | −11° | 129 mm | 12 | |
| Gudauri | −3° | −10° | 89 mm | 10 | |
| Juta | −4° | −11° | 59 mm | 7 | |
| Tetnuldi | −4° | −12° | 84 mm | 11 | |
| Abano Pass | −9° | −16° | 50 mm | 6 | |
| Mount Kazbek | −22° | −29° | 78 mm | 8 | |
Ski season: Gudauri, Tetnuldi, Bakuriani, Goderdzi usually run lifts in January.
What January is good for
The weather in Georgia in January suits skiers and city breaks far better than hikers. Ski Gudauri for its wide, open slopes, Bakuriani for gentler runs near Borjomi, or Tetnuldi for Svaneti views, and add a few days in Tbilisi, where the sulphur baths feel best on a frosty evening. On 7 January, Orthodox Christmas, Alilo choirs walk the streets singing, and Epiphany follows on the 19th. Kakheti makes a quiet cold-season wine trip. Skip the high trekking routes and Tusheti, which are closed or deep in snow, and forget the beach.
Festivals and holidays in January
What to pack for Georgia in January
- Down jacket and thermal layers for the mountains
- Waterproof shell and umbrella for Batumi and Kutaisi
- Shoes with good grip for icy Old Town streets
- Ski goggles and lip balm for Gudauri or Bakuriani
- Winter tyres or chains if you drive mountain roads
Georgia in January: weather FAQ
Is it cold in Georgia in January?
Yes, it is the coldest month almost everywhere. Tbilisi peaks at roughly 7 °C (45 °F) in the afternoon and dips just below freezing overnight, while Batumi is milder at about 12 °C (54 °F). In the mountains, Kazbegi and Mestia hover around 0 °C (32 °F) at midday and fall to about -7 °C (19 °F) at night, so dress in layers.
How cold does it get in Bakuriani in January?
Bakuriani, at about 1,700 m, averages roughly -1 °C (30 °F) at midday and about -10 °C (14 °F) after dark, and some 10 days bring snow. That cold keeps the pistes in winter shape through its season, which usually runs from December to March. Bring proper boots for the village as well as the slopes.
Which Georgian ski resorts are open in January?
All four main resorts usually operate: Gudauri on the Georgian Military Road, Bakuriani above Borjomi, Tetnuldi near Mestia in Svaneti, and Goderdzi in the mountains of Adjara. Goderdzi gets the most precipitation in January, about 124 mm over 15 days, while Gudauri pairs steady cold (about -3.5 °C by day) with the easiest access from Tbilisi.
Can you visit Kakheti wineries in January?
Yes, and the cellars are a good place to be. Telavi struggles to pass 7 °C (45 °F), and nights dip a little below freezing, but January is dry in Kakheti, with about 28 mm of rain over 5 days. Tastings happen indoors or in qvevri cellars, so the cold matters little; just check that smaller family wineries are open before you drive out.
January in the cities
Travelling in January?
Tell us your dates and interests and we will plan a route that fits the January weather, with a driver and a guide in your language.
WhatsApp +995 598 74 74 54