Marrakech weather month by month
Close to 38°C on average at the height of summer, 6°C at night in January, two steadier shoulder seasons: here's Marrakech weather month by month, and the best time to visit depending on what you're after.
Marrakech gets about 250 mm of rain a year and close to 3,000 hours of sunshine. The city sits at 460 metres (1,510 feet) altitude, some thirty kilometres from the High Atlas, whose peaks stay snow-capped part of the winter. That neighbour explains the day-night gap: the dry air doesn’t hold the warmth, and the thermometer can lose fifteen degrees after sunset. The current forecast and the next few days appear in the widget above.
Marrakech temperatures, month by month
The averages below are 30-year normals: in summer, actual peaks often go higher, especially on sirocco days - that hot wind from the south.
| Month | Avg. max | Avg. min | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19°C | 6°C | 25 mm |
| February | 21°C | 8°C | 26 mm |
| March | 24°C | 10°C | 35 mm |
| April | 26°C | 12°C | 26 mm |
| May | 29°C | 15°C | 11 mm |
| June | 34°C | 18°C | 3 mm |
| July | 38°C | 21°C | 2 mm |
| August | 37°C | 21°C | 5 mm |
| September | 33°C | 19°C | 15 mm |
| October | 29°C | 16°C | 19 mm |
| November | 23°C | 11°C | 30 mm |
| December | 20°C | 7°C | 24 mm |
Three regimes emerge: a long warm plateau from May to September, two tempered shoulders in spring and autumn, three mild but chilly-at-night months in winter.
Rain and sunshine
Rain falls in short spells, almost always between October and April; summer is dry. Sunshine, on the other hand, hardly ever fails: rarely less than seven hours a day in winter, up to eleven in summer. Hat and sunglasses aren’t optional, and shade is worth seeking at peak hours, between noon and 4pm.
The best time to visit by profile
To visit without suffering the heat: March-May and September-November. Average highs stay between 23 and 33°C, nights are mild, and you walk the medina without constantly chasing shade. April and October are the two safest months. The flipside: they’re also the busiest, and riad rates climb.
For the pool and rooftops, accepting the heat: June-August. The high tops 37°C, but the dry heat stays workable if you set visits before 11am and after 5pm. It’s the season for pool hotels and shaded-patio riads; without one or the other, the days are long. Accommodation rates, on the other hand, drop.
For quiet and low prices, covering the evenings: December-February. By day, 19 to 21°C in the sun, perfect for walking. At night, 6 to 8°C, and many riads heat lightly: an accommodation listing that doesn’t mention heating is a signal. It’s low season, the medina breathes, and you sometimes see snow on the Atlas from a high terrace.
What to pack
In summer, light-coloured, loose clothes, a hat, sunglasses and SPF; not much more. In spring and autumn, add a layer for the evenings, which cool quickly. In winter, plan a proper jumper and a jacket: pleasant in the sun, the city turns cold as soon as the day drops, and pisé interiors hold the cool. All year, closed comfortable shoes for the uneven medina alleys beat sandals.
To fine-tune your dates, see also our best time to visit Marrakech guide.
Marrakech climate, month after month
Each month has its own page: temperatures, crowds, events and what to pack.
