Morocco in summer is not one climate, it is two. Inland it is genuinely hot: Marrakech averages 40°C in July and Merzouga 42°C, with nights that stay above 22°C. On the Atlantic, forty minutes of driving away by plane and three hours by road, Essaouira sits at 26°C and does not move all summer.
That gap of fourteen degrees is the single most useful thing to know about a Moroccan summer.
How hot it really gets
| City | June | July | August |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marrakech | 33° / 18° | 40° / 22° | 39° / 22° |
| Merzouga | 39° / 25° | 42° / 28° | 41° / 27° |
| Ouarzazate | 35° / 19° | 39° / 23° | 38° / 22° |
| Fes | 33° / 18° | 39° / 21° | 38° / 21° |
| Essaouira | 24° / 18° | 26° / 19° | 26° / 19° |
| Agadir | 25° / 18° | 27° / 18° | 28° / 19° |
Read the first three rows and the last two as two different countries. Marrakech, Merzouga and Ouarzazate are above 38°C for most of July and August. Essaouira and Agadir never pass 28°C.
The reason is the Atlantic trade wind, which blows onto the coast all summer and is why Essaouira became a windsurfing town. The same wind that makes the beach uncomfortable for sunbathing is what keeps the medina walkable at midday.
Where to go instead of inland
The coast. Essaouira first, then Agadir and the surf villages north of it. This is where Moroccan families go in August, which tells you something.
The mountains. Imlil averages 31°C in July against Marrakech’s 40°C, and the nights drop to 19°C. A day trip into the Atlas is the standard escape from a Marrakech summer, and it works.
The valleys. Ourika runs several degrees below the city and has river-side restaurants built for exactly this.
The desert in summer: what we tell people
We run desert tours all year, and we are honest about July and August. Merzouga at 42°C in the day is not sightseeing weather. Camel rides move to first light and last light, the middle of the day is spent under shade, and the camps are hot until well after dark.
Some travellers love it precisely for that, and the dunes are emptier than in April. But if the desert is the reason for your trip and your dates are flexible, come in October instead.
What summer is good for
Lower prices outside the coast, long daylight, and cities that come alive after sunset rather than during the day. Marrakech in August is a night city: the souks and Jemaa el-Fna fill from 18:00 onwards and stay busy past midnight.
What to pack for a Moroccan summer
Light and loose rather than little. Long sleeves in thin cotton are more comfortable in 40°C than bare arms, and they are what people wear here. A hat and a refillable bottle are not optional inland: Marrakech in July dehydrates you faster than you notice.
For the coast, add a windproof layer. Essaouira is 26°C but the trade wind makes the evenings feel cooler than the number suggests.
How to plan a summer day inland
The working rule we give our own clients: move early, rest at midday, go out again after 17:00. Departures for day trips leave between 07:00 and 08:00 in summer rather than 09:00, which is why our Ourika and Ouzoud trips get you to the water before the heat arrives.
Between 13:00 and 16:00, plan nothing outdoors. Riads have courtyards and pools for exactly this reason, and the museums are air-conditioned.
The one summer trip that works better than in spring
Agafay in the evening. The stony desert forty minutes from Marrakech is unbearable at 15:00 and perfect at 19:00, when the heat drops off the rock and the light turns. A summer evening in Agafay is the version of the desert that summer does best, and it costs one evening rather than three days.
In short
Come in summer for the Atlantic coast and the mountains. Plan the cities for early morning and evening, and think twice about a long desert tour.
Common questions
How hot does Morocco get in July?
Marrakech averages 40°C, Merzouga 42°C and Ouarzazate 39°C. On the Atlantic, Essaouira stays at 26°C and Agadir at 27°C for the same month.
Where is it cool in Morocco in August?
The Atlantic coast and the mountains. Essaouira sits at 26°C because of the trade wind, and Imlil in the High Atlas at 30°C with nights around 18°C.
Is it worth doing a desert tour in summer?
It is possible and we run them, but Merzouga is 41°C in August. Camel rides move to sunrise and sunset, and the middle of the day is spent in shade. If your dates are flexible, October is better.
