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Month by month weather for the cities, the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara and the coast, so you can pick dates that fit your route.
Best overallMarch to May, Sept to Nov
Hottest inlandJune to August
Coolest nightsSahara, Dec to Feb
Mildest all yearAtlantic coast
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best times to visit Morocco. Days are warm but not punishing in Marrakech and Fes, the Sahara is comfortable by day and cool at night, and the Atlas valleys are at their greenest in April and May.
That said, Morocco is a country of very different climates within a few hours’ drive. The Atlantic coast is mild all year, the High Atlas gets snow in winter, and the Sahara swings from hot afternoons to cold nights. The right month depends on where you are going, so the rest of this guide breaks it down by season and region.
Approximate average daytime highs. Nights are cooler everywhere, and much cooler in the desert and the mountains.
| Month | Marrakech | Fes | Merzouga (Sahara) | Essaouira (coast) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18 °C | 16 °C | 18 °C, nights near 0 °C | 18 °C | Cool, quiet, cold desert nights |
| February | 20 °C | 17 °C | 21 °C | 18 °C | Mild days; Ramadan in 2027 |
| March | 23 °C | 20 °C | 25 °C | 19 °C | Very good |
| April | 25 °C | 22 °C | 30 °C | 20 °C | Excellent |
| May | 29 °C | 26 °C | 34 °C | 21 °C | Excellent, rose harvest |
| June | 33 °C | 31 °C | 40 °C | 22 °C | Hot inland, fine on the coast |
| July | 37 °C | 35 °C | 45 °C | 23 °C | Very hot inland |
| August | 37 °C | 35 °C | 43 °C | 23 °C | Very hot inland, busy coast |
| September | 32 °C | 30 °C | 37 °C | 23 °C | Good, still warm |
| October | 27 °C | 25 °C | 30 °C | 22 °C | Excellent |
| November | 22 °C | 20 °C | 24 °C | 21 °C | Very good |
| December | 19 °C | 17 °C | 19 °C, nights near 0 °C | 19 °C | Cool; busy over New Year |
These are typical averages, not forecasts. Heatwaves in spring and autumn and cold spells in winter happen, so check the forecast a week before you travel and pack layers either way.
The favourite season for most travellers. Warm, sunny days, cool evenings, almond and orange blossom in March, green barley fields in the Atlas and the rose harvest in the Dades Valley in late April and May. Book riads and desert camps early.
Very hot in Marrakech, Fes and the Sahara, often above 40 °C in July and August. The coast is the place to be: Essaouira, Rabat and Tangier stay in the low to mid twenties. If the desert is on your route, keep it short and travel early in the day.
As good as spring, with warm sea water on the coast and the date harvest in the southern oases in October. September can still be hot inland; by late October the evenings in the Sahara call for a jumper.
Sunny, mild days and cold nights. Snow covers the High Atlas, which makes Marrakech beautiful but can close the Tizi n’Tichka pass for a few hours. Desert camps provide heavy blankets, and the light is superb for photography.
March to May and late September to November. Summer afternoons are hot enough that you will want to sightsee in the morning, rest in your riad, and go back out after 5 pm.
October to April. Avoid June to August unless you are comfortable with 40 °C+ afternoons; in winter, the days are lovely and the nights are cold. See our guide to Merzouga and the Sahara.
April to October for walking around Imlil and the Toubkal area. In winter the higher villages get snow; Oukaimeden becomes a ski resort from roughly December to March. Our Atlas day trips guide covers the options.
Pleasant all year. Essaouira is windy in summer (good for kitesurfing, less good for sunbathing), and Tangier and Rabat are a comfortable escape from inland summer heat.
Spring and autumn. Winter is wet and cold in the mountains; summer is warm but much more bearable than the south.
Ramadan 2027 is expected from around 7–8 February to 8–9 March. It is a perfectly good time to travel, with quieter days and wonderful evenings; read our Ramadan travel guide before you book.
Eid al-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan, is the busiest domestic travel time of the year: trains and buses fill up and many shops close for a day or two.
European school holidays (Easter, the October and Christmas breaks) push up prices and fill riads in Marrakech. If your dates are flexible, the weeks just before or after are noticeably calmer.
Festival dates change every year, so confirm them before planning around one. Popular ones include the Rose Festival in Kelaat M’Gouna (usually May), the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music (usually late spring) and the Gnaoua World Music Festival in Essaouira (usually early summer).
Light, breathable clothes that cover shoulders and knees, a warm layer for evenings and the desert, comfortable walking shoes for the medina, sunglasses and sunscreen.
Summer: loose linen or cotton, a hat, a refillable water bottle, and a light scarf against sun and sand.
Winter: a proper warm jacket, a hat for desert nights, and layers for cold riads, which are not always well heated.
All our tours are private and run year round. We adjust the pace and the desert night to the season, for example earlier starts in summer and warmer camps in winter.
April and October are the safest all-round choices: warm days in Marrakech and Fes, comfortable nights in the Sahara, and green valleys in the Atlas in spring. March, May, September and November are almost as good.
Not everywhere. Inland cities and the Sahara are very hot from June to August, often above 40 °C, but the Atlantic coast (Essaouira, Rabat, Tangier) stays mild. If you travel in summer, plan sightseeing early and late and keep the desert to one night.
Yes, as long as you pack warm clothes. Days in Merzouga are pleasant from December to February, but nights in camp can drop close to freezing, and the Tizi n’Tichka pass occasionally closes after snow.
Ramadan 2027 is expected to run from around 7–8 February to 8–9 March, depending on the moon sighting. Tourism continues as normal; see our Ramadan travel guide for what changes.
Winter outside the Christmas and New Year holidays, and the hottest summer weeks inland, usually have the lowest hotel prices. Spring and autumn are the most expensive because they are the most comfortable.
Tell us roughly when you can travel and what you want to see. Our Marrakech-based team will suggest the best route for that season and reply within 24 hours.
