What Batumi is like from November to April
Most people know Batumi in August: crowded beaches, full hotels and a boulevard busy until late at night. From November to April it is a different place. The sea is too cold for most swimmers, rain is frequent, many beach bars are taken down, and hotel and holiday-flat prices fall well below their summer levels. Yet Batumi is not a ghost town in winter. It is a city of about 235,000 residents, according to the 2024 census, with schools, a university, a port, offices and markets that run all year.
For a buyer, winter is the season that tests a flat. Rental income falls, humidity rises, storms find the weak points in windows and balconies, and the service charge still has to be paid. This guide explains what the weather is really like, what stays open, how flats are heated and what they cost to run, how the winter rental market works, and what an owner who is away should arrange. For month-by-month occupancy and prices, see our guides to occupancy by month and pricing by season.
The weather in numbers
Batumi is the wettest city in Georgia, and the wettest months are in the cool season. The long-term averages for the airport weather station, published under the World Meteorological Organization's 1981-2010 normals, show how much rain falls and how little sun there is.
| Month | Rain, mm | Days with at least 1 mm | Sunshine, hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | 305.5 | 12.2 | 125 |
| December | 277.7 | 13.1 | 107 |
| January | 234.7 | 14 | 99 |
| February | 183.4 | 12.7 | 105 |
| March | 156.6 | 12.6 | 126 |
| April | 90.1 | 9.6 | 148 |
November is the wettest month of the whole year. Temperatures are mild: long-term averages compiled by the travel climate service Weather2Travel give daytime highs of about 9 to 10°C in January and February and nights of about 2°C. The sea cools from about 16°C in November to about 8°C in February and March. Frost and snow happen but are not normal; Wikipedia's climate summary counts about 12 days a year with snow on the ground, and the record low is -8.2°C, set in February.
Storms and snow
The real winter hazard is wind and sea, not cold. On 30 December 2025 strong winds damaged several roofs, including one on a residential building on Ivane Meskhi Street, and a facade on Pirosmani Street, while parts of the Old Boulevard flooded. On 20 February 2026 a storm covered part of the promenade with sand and flooded some areas. The boulevard service cleared rubble and sand after both.
Snow is rarer but disruptive when it comes. On 24 February 2025 heavy snowfall put the boulevard service into emergency mode, and Batumi airport stopped flights for two days before reopening on 26 February 2025. During a cold spell at the end of December 2025, Georgian Railway shifted the times of the overnight trains between Tbilisi and Batumi because of snow in western Georgia.
For an owner this means checking what a storm can reach: balcony doors and glazing on high floors facing the sea, roof terraces, drains on balconies, and anything left outside. A flat that is empty for weeks should be checked after every big storm.
Heating and running costs
Most new flats in Batumi have no building-wide central heating. Judging by developers' adverts, heat usually comes from an individual gas boiler with radiators, where the building is connected to gas, or from air conditioners with a heating mode and electric heaters. Before buying, ask whether the building has a working gas connection; some adverts admit that gas is still being connected.
| Monthly use | Price per kWh |
|---|---|
| 0 to 101 kWh | 19.731 tetri |
| 101 to 301 kWh | 23.707 tetri |
| Over 301 kWh | 28.227 tetri |
Because the price rises with use, a flat heated with electricity pays the top rate for much of its winter consumption. As our own example, 500 kWh in a month would cost about GEL 123 at these rates. Gas in Adjara is supplied by SOCAR Georgia Gas at tariffs set by the energy regulator for 1 January 2026 to 1 January 2028, so the price per cubic metre is fixed for that period, and winter bills rise with how much you burn.
An empty flat still uses some energy if you keep a dehumidifier or a low heating setting running, and that is usually worth it. As a rough example of our own, a 300 W dehumidifier on for 8 hours a day uses about 72 kWh a month, around GEL 14 at the lowest tier.
Damp in a closed flat
Low sunshine, frequent rain and cold walls make winter the season of condensation. A flat that stays shut with the heating off is the case most at risk: moisture settles on north walls, in bathrooms and behind furniture. Our Batumi guide covers the basics of preventing mould; for winter, the simplest rule is that a closed flat needs either a dehumidifier on a timer or someone to air it and run the heating every week or two.
What stays open
- New Year season: in 2025-26 the main tree was lit on Europe Square on 22 December, a New Year Village with food stalls, concerts and a children's programme ran there, and the season closed with a Christmas concert on 7 January.
- Batumi Dolphinarium: the tourism administration says shows run six days a week, rain or shine.
- Batumi Botanical Garden: its official site gives opening hours of 09:00 to 18:30, with no separate winter timetable.
- Cinema: the Batumi International Art-house Film Festival, once held in September, ran as a smaller film week from 13 to 17 December 2025.
- Skiing: Goderdzi ski resort in the mountains of Adjara is about 110 to 120 km from Batumi by road, so sea and snow can be combined in one trip.
Many beachfront venues close for the season, and travel writers describe a quiet boulevard and closed cafes off season, though we found no count of closures. The airport stays open all winter, but many summer routes are seasonal, so the timetable is thinner; Kutaisi and Tbilisi airports are the usual alternatives.
The winter rental market
Winter has its own rental product: a monthly let from autumn until late spring, ending before the summer season when owners switch to nightly guests. On ss.ge on 27 October 2026, for example, a 30 m² flat on Sherif Khimshiashvili Avenue was offered "until May 1" at USD 350 a month, a 44 m² flat for nine months from September to June, and a 70 m² flat in Boni-Gorodok for eight months until June 2027. A travel and expat guide advises newcomers that a lease signed in winter is cheaper and easier to negotiate than one signed in June.
As a reference for long lets, a property portal summarising market data in August 2026 put average long-term rents at about USD 10.8 per m² a month in the New Boulevard area and about USD 11 in Old Batumi. A winter let earns less than the same flat in summer, but it covers the service charge, keeps the flat lived in and dry, and gives the owner a tenant who reports problems. If you rent until a fixed date, write that end date into the contract; our guide to rental law for landlords explains why.
Why so many windows are dark
Visitors in winter often notice towers with few lights on. Part of the reason is seasonal: owners who live abroad and come in summer. Part is stock that has not been sold yet: Galt & Taggart counted about 12,400 unsold flats in the developer projects it surveyed at the end of 2025, about 14% more than a year before. We found no study that measures the share of empty flats in winter, so any figure you hear is a guess.
For a buyer, dark windows matter in practice. A building where most owners are absent may have a weaker owners' association, slower repairs and less security in winter. Ask the manager how many flats are lived in all year, and visit the building in January in the evening.
An owner's winter checklist
Managed towers charge a service fee whether or not the flat is let; adverts in 2026 quoted examples from about USD 0.5 to 1 per m² a month. Before you leave for the winter, or before you buy, arrange the following.
- Someone to air the flat, run the heating or dehumidifier and check it after storms.
- Balcony drains, window seals and outdoor furniture checked before November.
- The water supply shut off or checked after freezing nights.
- Utility accounts paid online, so a missed bill does not lead to disconnection.
- Insurance that covers leaks from neighbours and storm damage, with no exclusion for a flat left empty for a long time; read the policy wording.
Pros and cons of winter in Batumi
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Mild temperatures and rare frost | The wettest months of the year |
| A real city of about 235,000 residents | Many beach venues closed, fewer flights |
| Monthly winter lets cover running costs | Lower income than in summer |
| Cheaper and easier time to rent or view | Storms test windows, roofs and balconies |
| New Year events and a ski resort within reach | Damp in closed, unheated flats |
To be added by the team: photos for the team to take: the boulevard on a rainy January day, Europe Square during the New Year Village, a tower at night with lit and dark windows, a dehumidifier in a flat, and the sea after a storm.
Preparing a Batumi flat for winter step by step
Check the heating source
Gas boiler, air conditioner, or both.
Seal and clear
Windows, balcony drains, outdoor items.
Set up dry air
A dehumidifier on a timer.
Choose winter use
A monthly let or a caretaker.
Review the insurance
Leaks, storms and empty periods.
Plan storm checks
Someone to look after each storm.
Frequently asked questions
How cold is Batumi in winter?
Mild: daytime highs of about 9 to 10°C in January and February and nights around 2°C; frost and snow are occasional.
Which is the wettest month?
November, with about 305.5 mm of rain on average at the airport station.
Can you swim in winter?
Few do: the sea cools to about 8°C in February and March.
Is Batumi empty in winter?
No. About 235,000 people live there all year, though many beach venues close and many towers have dark windows.
How are flats heated?
Usually with an individual gas boiler or air conditioners; check the gas connection before buying.
What does electricity cost?
From 19.731 to 28.227 tetri per kWh from April 2026, rising with monthly use.
Can I rent my flat out for the winter?
Yes; monthly lets until May or June are common on ss.ge.
What should I do with an empty flat?
Keep it dry, check it after storms, pay the bills online and check the insurance.
Sources
- Batumi, Wikipedia, climate table from WMO normals 1981-2010 for Batumi airport (accessed 27 October 2026)
- Batumi climate guide, Weather2Travel (accessed 27 October 2026)
- Strong winds cause damage in Batumi, Georgia Today, 30 December 2025, and cleaning of the seafront, Batumi Boulevard, 20 February 2026
- Batumi Boulevard in emergency mode due to heavy snow, 24 February 2025, and Batumi airport resumes flights, Georgia Today, 26 February 2025
- Georgian Railway modifies the Tbilisi-Batumi schedule, First Channel, 30 December 2025
- New electricity tariffs, First Channel, 30 March 2026, and GNERC Resolution No 65 of 29 December 2025 on gas tariffs, Legislative Herald of Georgia
- Population of Tbilisi and Batumi, First Channel, 4 November 2025
- Batumi lights main New Year tree, Georgia Today, 22 December 2025, and BIAFF Film Week, FilmNewEurope, 9 December 2025
- Batumi Dolphinarium, Georgian National Tourism Administration, Batumi Botanical Garden, and Goderdzi resort (accessed 27 October 2026)
- Flats for rent in Batumi, ss.ge (accessed 27 October 2026), and Batumi rental market, HomesOverseas, 24 August 2026
- Cost of living in Georgia, Madloba (accessed 27 October 2026)
- Sector snapshot: Batumi residential real estate, Investor.ge, 20 April 2026
- Service fee example and second service fee example, Realting (2026)
Change log
- - Explainer published from WMO climate normals via Wikipedia, Weather2Travel, Georgia Today, Batumi Boulevard, First Channel, GNERC, FilmNewEurope, the Georgian National Tourism Administration, the Botanical Garden, Goderdzi resort, ss.ge, HomesOverseas, Madloba, Investor.ge and Realting.