Marrakech in August: weather, temperatures and tips
Still the furnace: 37°C (99°F) by day, 21°C at night, sun without let-up. Two upsides for the month: the Essaouira sea at its warmest, and pool riads at low prices. Best lived early morning, late evening and on the coast in the hard hours.
August sits at the peak of the Marrakchi summer. The average high stays at 37°C, the low at 21°C and chergui peaks still graze 45°C. Rain is negligible, sun ever-present. Two details separate it from July: days shorten slightly and the sea reaches its annual peak on the coast - which makes Essaouira the month’s flagship escape. The very end of August starts a first easing.
Marrakech weather in August
At 37°C average high and 21°C low, August stays a hot month morning to evening. The heat is dry, which makes it bearable in shade and unbearable in full sun at peak hours. Nights stay warm, around 21°C, and A/C helps sleep.
Chergui still marks the month, with its surges above 43°C and its dust-loaded air. The sky stays clear, rain close to nil. On the coast, by contrast, this is the best window: the Essaouira sea reaches 21-22°C, its yearly peak, and the trade winds hold much cooler air than inland.
Your day, hour by hour
| Time | Feel | What you do with it |
|---|---|---|
| 6-10am | 23-30°C | Visits at the earliest, or set off for the coast |
| 11am-6pm | 35-37°C, sometimes more | Pool, siesta, hammam; at Essaouira, you breathe |
| 7-11pm | 28-31°C | Rooftops, late dinner, lively evenings |
| night | 21°C | A/C useful to sleep |
What to pack
As in July, accommodation is the first criterion. Pool, shaded patio and effective air-conditioning make the difference between a good stay and rough afternoons. The case travels light: light-coloured, loose covering pieces, hat, sunglasses and high-factor SPF. Drink plenty, keep a water bottle to hand and avoid any effort between noon and 5pm. For a high-altitude day trip or a coastal evening, a light windproof jacket earns its keep - Essaouira’s wind is cool.
Crowds and prices in August
August mirrors July on footfall: few European visitors, but a strong presence of Gulf tourists and the Moroccan diaspora on summer holiday. Western tourist pressure is among the year’s lowest, and riad rates often stay soft, around £56-£80 a night double in a boutique riad. French summer school holidays bring mainly families ready to cope with the heat. It’s another chance for a pool-equipped stay at a good price. To compare, see our riads.
What to do in Marrakech in August
August keeps July’s watchword - early morning, late evening, water and shade in between - but with its own fixture: the Setti Fatma moussem, in the Ourika valley, one of the country’s great popular pilgrimages, with music, souk and a crowd around the koubba (movable dates, often late August). In town, medina and monuments at opening, pool or hammam in the peak hours, rooftops and dinners in the evening.
August belongs to the coast. Essaouira is at its best: fresh air, warmest sea of the year, lively atmosphere. It’s the season’s flagship day trip, and even a base for a few days to escape the furnace. The mountain - the Ourika valley in front - offers another kind of break, greener and more shaded. The Agafay desert is kept for sunset and night.
Our verdict on August
August reads like July: a month for heat, the pool and the coast, at low prices, for those who organise and pick their accommodation well. Its ace is Essaouira, at its yearly peak.
Its limit stays the peak-hour heat, which reserves visits for morning and evening.
If you want the city in full daytime, wait for September, which starts the return of milder conditions. The full season is on our best time to visit.
