Snow-sure?

How snow-sure is Kolašin 1600?

At Kolašin 1600, there was enough natural snow at Christmas in 16 of the 30 winters 1984/85–2013/14: at least 30 cm on 10 or more of the 14 days from 22 December to 4 January at mid-mountain (1,800 m; pistes 1,502–2,036 m). With snowmaking: 30 of 30. Climate models expect an average of 4.8 such Christmas days with natural snow there in 2041–2060 (RCP4.5), against 7.4 in 1986–2005. Source: Copernicus C3S, Crna Gora region.

Data: C3S UERRA reanalysis, winters 1984/85–2013/14; EURO-CORDEX scenarios to 2060 · calculated 3 November 2026 · Methodology and sources

16 of 30Snowy Christmases · natural snow
30 of 30Snowy Christmases · with snowmaking
114Days ≥ 30 cm per season · natural snow

More snowy Christmases than 35% of the 690 European resorts on this site.

Christmas, year by year

1984/852013/14

Each box is one Christmas holiday (22 December to 4 January): the darker, the more days with at least 30 cm of natural snow. Outlined: at least 10 of the 14 days.

Christmases without enough natural snow (1,800 m): 1985/86, 1986/87, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2001/02, 2003/04, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13, 2013/14.

Every winter in numbers
WinterDays ≥ 30 cm, natural snowDays ≥ 30 cm, with snowmaking
1984/8514 of 1414 of 14
1985/860 of 1414 of 14
1986/870 of 1414 of 14
1987/8814 of 1414 of 14
1988/890 of 1411 of 14
1989/9014 of 1414 of 14
1990/910 of 1414 of 14
1991/9214 of 1414 of 14
1992/9311 of 1414 of 14
1993/9411 of 1414 of 14
1994/9510 of 1414 of 14
1995/9611 of 1414 of 14
1996/9714 of 1414 of 14
1997/9814 of 1414 of 14
1998/998 of 1414 of 14
1999/000 of 1414 of 14
2000/0114 of 1414 of 14
2001/020 of 1414 of 14
2002/0313 of 1414 of 14
2003/047 of 1414 of 14
2004/0514 of 1414 of 14
2005/064 of 1414 of 14
2006/0714 of 1414 of 14
2007/0814 of 1414 of 14
2008/093 of 1414 of 14
2009/100 of 1414 of 14
2010/110 of 1414 of 14
2011/1214 of 1414 of 14
2012/130 of 1414 of 14
2013/147 of 1410 of 14

Bottom, middle, top

1,502 m4 of 301,769 m16 of 302,036 m17 of 30
Piste heights and Christmases with enough natural snow (of 30); light: snow-sure (≥ 25 of 30)
LevelmC3S height bandSnowy ChristmasesDays ≥ 30 cm per season
Bottom (lowest run)1,5021,5004 of 3053
Mid-mountain1,7691,80016 of 30114
Top (highest run)2,0362,00017 of 30116

The whole season

Days with ≥ 30 cm (average), Natural snow114
Days with ≥ 30 cm (average), With snowmaking159
Days with ≥ 5 cm of natural snow (average)146
Typical continuous snow cover ≥ 30 cm, Natural snow29 December – 18 April (Winters with a continuous cover: 30/30)
Typical continuous snow cover ≥ 30 cm, With snowmaking7 December – 10 May (Winters with a continuous cover: 30/30)

Christmases with enough natural snow: 10 of 15 in 1984/85–1998/99, 6 of 15 in 1999/2000–2013/14. Snow days (≥ 30 cm) per season on average: 118 and 110.

What about the future? Climate scenarios

PeriodChristmas, days naturalChristmas, days with snowmakingSeason, days naturalSeason, days with snowmaking
Models, reference
1986–2005
7.413.6108156
Scenario RCP4.5 (medium emissions)
2021–2040
3.712.280142
Scenario RCP4.5 (medium emissions)
2041–2060
4.811.872132
Scenario RCP8.5 (high emissions)
2021–2040
5.713.182137
Scenario RCP8.5 (high emissions)
2041–2060
3.111.954121

Average of several regional climate models (EURO-CORDEX). Compare the scenarios with the model reference 1986–2005, not with the yearly values above: models and reanalysis have different errors. Scenarios are not forecasts.

The resort

CountryMontenegro
Region (NUTS-3)Crna Gora (ME000)
Pistes (OpenStreetMap)21 km
Pistes from … to1,502–2,036 m
Lifts2
MapOpenStreetMap

What the numbers mean

How we calculate