Marrakech Weather by Month: What Each Month Really Feels Like (2027)
💡 Quick Answer If you’re wondering what the weather in Marrakech is really like through the year, here’s the short version:
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I was born in Marrakech and I’ve spent every summer and every winter of my life here, so when guests ask me about Marrakech weather by month, I don’t check an app, I check my wardrobe.
The brochures sell “sunshine all year”, and that’s only half the story. Our winter nights are cold, our July afternoons are brutal, and the two windows in between are the best weather in North Africa.
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Marrakech Weather by Month at a Glance
Marrakech has a hot semi arid climate: hot, dry summers, mild sunny winters with cold nights, and around 3,200 hours of sunshine a year, from about 7 hours a day in January to 12 in June. The table uses the official 1991 to 2020 averages for Marrakech Menara Airport, rounded.
| Month | Day (°C / °F) | Night (°C / °F) | Rain (mm) | Rainy days | My verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19 / 66 | 6 / 43 | 25 | 3 | Sunny days, cold nights |
| February | 21 / 70 | 8 / 46 | 26 | 4 | Almond blossom, quiet |
| March | 24 / 75 | 10 / 50 | 35 | 5 | Excellent, wettest month |
| April | 26 / 79 | 12 / 54 | 26 | 3 | Near perfect |
| May | 29 / 85 | 15 / 59 | 11 | 2 | Warm, still great |
| June | 34 / 93 | 18 / 64 | 3 | 1 | Hot, mornings only |
| July | 38 / 100 | 21 / 70 | 2 | 0 | The furnace |
| August | 37 / 99 | 21 / 70 | 5 | 1 | The furnace, part two |
| September | 33 / 91 | 19 / 66 | 15 | 1 | Cooling down |
| October | 29 / 84 | 16 / 61 | 19 | 2 | My favourite month |
| November | 23 / 74 | 11 / 52 | 30 | 4 | Golden light, fewer crowds |
| December | 20 / 68 | 7 / 45 | 24 | 4 | Fires in the riad |
The numbers hide one thing that matters more than any average: the gap between day and night. In the dry air, a 20°C January afternoon can drop to 5°C by midnight, and most riads are built to stay cool, not warm.
The Four Seasons of Marrakech, Honestly
Marrakech sits in the middle of the Haouz Plain, with the High Atlas rising less than an hour’s drive to the south. Those mountains shape the city’s weather: they hold snow you can see from the rooftops in winter and send cool air down on clear nights, which is why the gap between day and night is so big.
Spring (March to May): The Best Weather of the Year
Warm, bright days between 24 and 29°C, green fields around the city and snow still on the Atlas peaks. March brings the most rain of the year, but “most” here means a few showers. This is when I push guests to do the Atlas Mountains day trip from Marrakech, because the rivers are full and the valleys are at their prettiest.
Summer (June to August): Hot and Dry
July and August average 37 to 38°C, and heatwaves pass 45°C. Almost no rain falls. The medina is bearable before 11 am and after 6 pm; in between, locals stay inside, and so should you. Summer is cheaper and quieter, but only if you plan your days around the sun.
Autumn (September to November): The Second Window
September is still hot, but October settles at around 29°C with warm nights, and November drops to a gentle 23°C. The light turns golden and the summer heat is gone.
Winter (December to February): Sunny Days, Cold Nights
Most winter days are clear and 19 to 21°C, perfect for walking. Nights fall to 6 or 7°C, and frost isn’t unusual outside the city. It doesn’t snow in Marrakech itself, but the Atlas peaks turn white.
Month by Month: What Each Month Really Feels Like
January: 19°C / 66°F by Day, 6°C / 43°F at Night
What it feels like: Blue mornings, warm lunches and a sharp drop after sunset. Best for: Long walks through the Medina of Marrakesh, listed by UNESCO since 1985, because you can cover the whole old city on foot without sweating once.
February: 21°C / 70°F by Day, 8°C / 46°F at Night
What it feels like: Still cool at night, with almond trees blossoming in the Atlas valleys. Best for: Slow travel. Prices are low and the city belongs to locals.
March: 24°C / 75°F by Day, 10°C / 50°F at Night
What it feels like: The wettest month on paper, with about 35 mm over five days, which in practice means a few short showers and a lot of sun. Best for: A private Marrakech city tour from the Bahia Palace to the souks.
April: 26°C / 79°F by Day, 12°C / 54°F at Night
What it feels like: Near perfect: green countryside and cool nights for sleeping. Best for: Everything, which is why it’s busy at Easter. Book riads early.
May: 29°C / 85°F by Day, 15°C / 59°F at Night
What it feels like: Warm days, almost no rain, and the first really hot days at the end of the month. Best for: Sightseeing in the morning and rooftop dinners at night.
June: 34°C / 93°F by Day, 18°C / 64°F at Night
What it feels like: The heat starts for real, with some days above 40°C. Best for: Lovely mornings, then afternoons out of the city in the Atlas or on the coast.
July: 38°C / 100°F by Day, 21°C / 70°F at Night
What it feels like: The hottest month; the airport record is close to 50°C, and the souks feel like an oven by 2 pm. Best for: Night owls. Locals wake early, rest in the afternoon and come out at night, and the city is lively until midnight.
| LOCAL TIP FROM AYOUB “In July and August, do what my family does: medina and monuments from 8 to 11 am, then lunch and a long rest in your riad’s courtyard, which can be 8 to 10 degrees cooler than the street. Go back out at 6 pm. If you need an escape, the Essaouira day trip from Marrakech puts you by the Atlantic, where it’s often 15 degrees cooler.” |
August: 37°C / 99°F by Day, 21°C / 70°F at Night
What it feels like: Almost a copy of July, with occasional dusty winds and the odd summer storm over the mountains. Best for: Moroccan family holidays; it’s the quietest month for European visitors.
September: 33°C / 91°F by Day, 19°C / 66°F at Night
What it feels like: Still hot early in the month, easing towards 30°C at the end, with pleasant evenings again. Best for: Sunset dinners in the Agafay Desert, which come back into season.
October: 29°C / 84°F by Day, 16°C / 61°F at Night
What it feels like: My favourite month: clear skies, warm days and the first rains washing the dust off the palms. Best for: Everything you’d want to do in Marrakech.
November: 23°C / 74°F by Day, 11°C / 52°F at Night
What it feels like: A few rainy days and the golden light photographers love. Best for: Fewer crowds after the autumn half term. Bring a jacket for the evenings.
December: 20°C / 68°F by Day, 7°C / 45°F at Night
What it feels like: Sunny days, cold nights, and a festive, busy end of the month as Europeans arrive for Christmas and New Year. Best for: Winter sun. Ask your riad if the rooms have heating; many don’t.
What to Pack for Each Season
Whatever the month, pack for modesty as well as weather: shoulders and knees covered in the medina will get you fewer stares and more smiles. My guide to the dos and don’ts for first time travellers to Marrakech covers dress in more detail.
| Season | Pack | Leave at home |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Light long trousers, a light jacket, sunglasses, a scarf | Heavy coat |
| Summer | Loose linen or cotton, a wide hat, SPF 50, a refillable bottle | Shorts for the medina, dark synthetic fabrics |
| Autumn | Light layers, a jumper for November evenings | Heavy winter gear |
| Winter | A warm jacket, a fleece, warm socks for tiled riad floors | Only summer clothes because “it’s Africa” |
If your trip includes the desert, nights are colder still. My Sahara packing list covers the extra layers you’ll need for a night in the dunes.
Weather Escapes Most Visitors Miss
Most visitors sit out the heat or the cold in their riad. Locals don’t; we just drive somewhere else for the day.
Lalla Takerkoust Lake in Summer
About 45 minutes from the city, the lake below the Atlas is where Marrakchi families go on hot weekends. There’s a breeze off the water, lunch on a terrace and the mountains behind you. Read more about Lalla Takerkoust.
Setti Fatma and the Ourika River
When the city hits 38°C, the Ourika Valley is several degrees cooler, and you can eat lunch with your feet almost in the river. In spring, the waterfalls above Setti Fatma are at their fullest.
Snow at Oukaimeden in Winter
It doesn’t snow in Marrakech, but about 75 km away, at Oukaimeden, you can ski or simply throw snowballs when the season is good, then be back in the medina for dinner.
Best Time to Visit Marrakech for Each Traveller
The best time to visit Marrakech is April or October, when days average 26 to 29°C (79 to 84°F), nights are cool and rain is rare. But the right month depends on what you want from the trip.
First time visitors should come in April or October, when full days in the medina and day trips are both comfortable. My list of the best day trips from Marrakech shows which escapes work best in each season.
Couples and slow travellers will love February and November: quiet, mild and perfect for riads and hammams. Winter is underrated, and a few days of Marrakech retreat, with a hammam and a quiet riad, is how I’d spend February if I were visiting.
Families do best in March, April and late October, when school holidays meet mild heat.
Hikers should aim for April to June or September to October, when Atlas trails are clear of snow and extreme heat.
Budget travellers get the lowest riad prices from June to August, if they can handle the heat.
Photographers should come from November to February for clear air, snow on the Atlas and low golden light.
Weather Mistakes I See Every Year
| Mistake | Why It Matters | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Packing only summer clothes for winter | Nights drop to 5°C and many riads have no central heating | Bring a warm jacket and ask your riad about heating |
| Sightseeing at midday in July | 38°C in the souks means heat exhaustion, not memories | Go out before 11 am and after 6 pm |
| Trusting the “rainy season” label | Even in March it rains only about five days | Don’t cancel a spring trip over rain |
| Forgetting the sun in winter | Even in January the sun is strong enough to burn | Wear sunscreen and sunglasses all year |
| Planning the Atlas in deep winter without checking | Snow can close high passes for a day or two | Keep one flexible day and check road conditions |
| Ignoring Ramadan dates | Opening hours and restaurant times change | Check the dates: in 2027, Ramadan is expected from around early February to early March |
Conclusion
Once you know the Marrakech weather by month, you’ll see there’s no bad month to visit, only badly planned ones. Come in April or October and the weather does the work for you; come in July or January and you just need to know the rhythm of the day, when to go out and when to rest.
Tell me when you’re coming and what you love, and I’ll build the days around the weather rather than against it. You can see how we do that in our private tour experiences, and if your dates are fixed, we’ll find the best version of Marrakech for that week.
Frequently Asked Questions
April and October. Both average 26 to 29°C by day with cool nights and very little rain. March, May and November are close behind.
The days are mild, around 19 to 21°C in December and January, but nights drop to 6 or 7°C. It doesn’t snow in Marrakech itself, though the High Atlas peaks, visible from the city, are often white from December to March.
No. Marrakech gets about 220 mm of rain a year, mostly from November to April, spread over three to five days a month. Showers are usually short, and summer is almost completely dry.
Light, loose clothes that cover shoulders and knees all year, comfortable closed shoes for the medina, and a hat and sunscreen from April to October. From November to March, add a warm jacket for the evenings.
