Marrakech is an inland city in the South West of Morocco. The weather is warm all year round and the summer months often exceed 37 °C.
Marrakech weather averages and climate
Marrakech has a relatively dry climate with the hottest months seeing an average of 4 mm of rain. The wettest period of the year is between January and April when as much as 31 mm of rainfall can be expected each month.
Whilst Marrakech can witness extreme heat, it is not an arid country because of its placing at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.
Visiting Marrakech in spring will promise between 8 and 10 hours of sunshine throughout the day and the temperature will be warm, with temperatures in April averaging at around 25 °C. Moving into May, the temperature in Marrakech soars to 28°C. The average rainfall in Marrakech in March and April is 31 mm but drops to an average of 11 mm come May.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18.8 | 20.7 | 23.9 | 25.4 | 28.9 | 33.9 | 37.7 | 37.0 | 32.1 | 28.3 | 22.8 | 19.8 | 27.5 |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | 62 | 57 | 58 | 53 | 49 | 44 | 46 | 54 | 57 | 62 | 67 | 56 |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 23 | 31 | 31 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 13 | 22 | 27 | 27 | 233 |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8 | 9.6 | 5.4 | 5.9 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 5.2 |
When is the best time to visit Marrakech?
The best time to visit Marrakech is in the spring and autumn when temperatures are consistently pleasant without getting unbearably hot.
May and September are the most ideal months to visit as rainfall tends to be lower than the other autumn and spring months.
Spring
Visiting Marrakech in spring promises between 8 and 10 hours of sunshine throughout the day and the temperatures will be pleasantly warm, with April averaging around 25 °C. Moving into May, the temperature in Marrakech will soar to 28 °C. The average rainfall in Marrakech in March and April is 31 mm but drops to an average of 11 mm come May.
Summer
Summers in Marrakech are hot and dry with up to 11 hours of daily sunshine in July. July and August in Marrakech are the hottest summer months, with the temperature averaging at highs of 37 °C. June through to August in Marrakesh sees minimal rainfall. August is the driest month with an average of only 2 mm rainfall throughout the month. The humidity in Marrakech is at its lowest in July at 44 %.
Autumn
If you are visiting Marrakech in autumn, you will enjoy cooler temperatures during October and November, however the average temperature in September is remains high at 31 °C. By November the temperature in Marrakech will have dropped to an average of 22 °C making autumn a popular time to visit. The rainfall in Marrakech in Autumn will increase quite significantly from an average of 13 mm in September to 27 mm by November.
Winter
Winter in Marrakech is a little cooler, with temperatures falling to their lowest in January. Nevertheless, the lowest temperatures still average 18 °C and November still sees temperatures around 22 °C.
November, December and January will see an average of 7 hours of sunshine throughout the day and if you’re visiting in January, expect up to 31 mm of rainfall. The nights in Marrakech in winter are much cooler, so a jacket is advisable.
Marrakech tourist information
Marrakech is an inland city in the south west of the country near the Atlas Mountains. The city is fortified and the rusty coloured ramparts are what give Marrakech its ‘Red City’ nickname.
Jemaa el Fna is said by tourist websites to be the busiest square in the whole of Africa, and is certainly one of Marrakech’s main attractions. The square itself is bustling with the abundance of food stalls, entertainers and curiosities.
The Majorelle Garden provides a haven from the hustle-bustle of the city centre, and you will find a number of other idyllic green spaces in Marrakech.
You will find some striking flora and fauna here due to Morocco’s consistently hot summers and a climate which is not overly arid. Marrakech is far from a desert landscape, with spaces like the Majorelle Gardens complemented by Menara Gardens which sit at the gates of the city.
Temperatures in the height of the summer months can be very hot for European tourists, regularly surpassing 37 degrees – as such, spring and autumn would be the most comfortable times to visit.
The Bahia Palace and the Badi Palace show how much money came to this part of the world in medieval times. The Ben Youssef Madrasa and the mosque of the same name are two cornerstones of the city, and there are many other beautiful mosques throughout Marrakech. The Koutoubia Mosque and its minaret make a wonderful silhouette on Marrakech’s skyline as evening begins to descend on the city.
The Medina of Marrakech and the city’s souks help to cultivate its evocative image. Marrakech Souk and the souks (marketplaces) such as Smata and Cherratine each have different specialities, whether it be food, leather or general trinkets.
The Tombs of the Seven Saints attract huge numbers of visitors each year as a popular Islamic pilgrimage, and the Saadian Tombs are also an important part of the city’s heritage.
Museums such as the Maison de la Photographie and the Museum of Moroccan Arts showcase the artistic and creative side of the city – an aspect of Marrakech that has attracted adventurous westerners for generations.
Marrakech is making a concerted attempt to increase tourism over the next few years, and the city will always have a romantic magnetism for foreign visitors.
