Morocco

Climate in Morocco

Morocco's climate is moderate and subtropical, cooled by breezes off the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. The weather is unpredictable and can be changeable, swinging from extreme heat to unexpected cold. The climate is also highly variable according to region and terrain and travellers are advised to check the conditions for the exact destinations they will be visiting. The climate of the northern Moroccan coast and central areas is Mediterranean, with hot dry summers and mild wet winters.

In the interior the temperatures are more extreme: winters can be fairly cold and the summers very hot. Marrakech has an average winter temperature of 70F (21C) and an average summer temperature of 100F (38C). In the Atlas Mountains temperatures can drop below zero in any season and mountain peaks are snow-capped throughout most of the year. The winter, between December and February, is wet and rainy in the north of the country; while in the south, at the edge of the Moroccan Sahara, it is dry and bitterly cold. Summer is the driest season.

Weather-wise, the best time to visit Morocco is generally in the spring and early summer, between March and May. Alternatively, autumn, occurring between September and November, is also mild and pleasant.