Table of Contents
- Where is it warmest in Morocco in winter?
- How cold is Morocco in winter?
- Morocco in December, January and February
- Is Morocco windy in winter?
- How many hours of daylight does Morocco get in winter?
- What to wear for a Moroccan winter
- Where to stay in winter
- Winter in Morocco by van
- More questions about Morocco's winter weather
- Is Morocco warm in December?
- How cold is Morocco in January?
- Where is the warmest place in Morocco in winter?
- Does it rain in Morocco in winter?
- Is winter a good time to visit Morocco?
- Is Marrakech cold in winter?
- What is the best time to visit Morocco?
- Is Morocco good for a winter trip by van?
- Wild at heart? Let's be friends.
- Explore more
- About Suzanne
Updated October 2026.
Winter in Morocco can still be cold. Where you go makes all the difference. Around Agadir it starts to become really nice. Further south it gets even better. It hardly rains there. After a grey European winter that feels amazing.
In the evenings people are out and about on the streets, without the alcohol. I like that too. Warm soups and good food are everywhere. I spent two winters in Morocco, from December until May. Most days I just wore my jalaba. I really love it.
Where is it warmest in Morocco in winter?
If you really want nice temperatures, go south. The bay around Agadir and Taghazout has a bit of a microclimate. There's not so much wind there. That's where the warm days start. During the day it's around 21 to 22°C from December to February. At night it drops to about 8 to 10°C. A warm layer for the evening is no luxury.
Mirleft is nice too, a little further south. Sidi Kaouki, near Essaouira, can be a lot windier. Essaouira is also about three degrees cooler during the day than Agadir. It rains a bit more there too.
Dakhla is the warmest of all. Days are around 22°C and nights stay at 14 to 15°C. It hardly ever rains. The wind blows all winter. The kitesurfers love it. I wrote more about it in my Dakhla guide.
The north is cooler and wetter. Tetouan has direct flights. It's already a lovely start. In winter it does get two to three times as many rainy days as the south. Inland the nights get cold. Marrakech is warm during the day. At night it drops to about 6 to 8°C. In the mountains and the desert the nights get really cold. It's often around freezing.
How cold is Morocco in winter?
These are the average temperatures from the official weather stations. The first number is the average daytime high. The second is the average low at night.
| Place | December | January | February | Rainy days a month |
| Agadir and Taghazout | 22 / 10 °C | 21 / 8 °C | 22 / 10 °C | about 3 |
| Essaouira and Sidi Kaouki | 19 / 13 °C | 18 / 11 °C | 19 / 12 °C | about 5 |
| Dakhla | 23 / 16 °C | 22 / 14 °C | 22 / 15 °C | less than 1 |
| Marrakech | 20 / 7 °C | 19 / 6 °C | 21 / 8 °C | 3 to 4 |
| Desert edge (Errachidia) | 17 / 4 °C | 16 / 2 °C | 18 / 5 °C | 1 to 2 |
| Middle Atlas (Ifrane) | 11 / 0 °C | 9 / -1 °C | 11 / 0 °C | about 8 |
| Tetouan in the north | 18 / 11 °C | 17 / 9 °C | 18 / 10 °C | 7 to 9 |
Source: NOAA climate normals 1991 to 2020, checked against Weather Spark.
The sea stays around 17 to 18°C through the winter months. Dakhla is the warmest at about 19°C in December. In winter there's often snow in the High Atlas. There's even a small ski resort at Oukaïmeden, near Marrakech.
Morocco in December, January and February
Morocco in December
December is still lovely in the south. Both winters I was there from December onwards. In Agadir the daytime temperatures are around 22°C and the nights around 10°C. For surfers it's a good time. From October to January there's generally less wind and better waves.
Morocco in January
January is the coldest month everywhere in Morocco. On the south coast the days still reach about 21°C. The nights drop to around 8°C. At the end of January my parents came to visit. That was probably the coldest stretch of the winter. We still had quite nice weather. Sometimes it was windy. At least you can be outside.
Morocco in February
In February it slowly warms up again. From February the wind gets in. That's when the kiters are happy, especially in Dakhla.
In 2027 Ramadan is expected to start around 8 February and run until early March. The exact date depends on the moon sighting. During Ramadan Morocco turns its clocks back one hour. Daily life changes too. Many cafés and restaurants close during the day and open after sunset. You can check the dates on timeanddate before you go.
Is Morocco windy in winter?
It really depends where you go. The bay around Agadir and Taghazout is the calmest stretch of coast. In winter the wind there averages about 13 km/h. Around Essaouira and Sidi Kaouki it's closer to 18 km/h. Dakhla is the windiest, with about 20 km/h on average. There the wind is lighter in the morning and picks up in the afternoon.
If you want calm days, stay in the Agadir bay. If you want wind for your kite, go to Dakhla or Sidi Kaouki.
How many hours of daylight does Morocco get in winter?
The daylight hours are a little bit longer than in northern Europe. In mid-January Agadir gets about ten and a half hours of daylight. Amsterdam gets just over eight. Morocco runs on GMT+1. In the south the sun sets around 7 pm in January.
What to wear for a Moroccan winter
The days are warm in the coastal towns in the south. The evenings cool down quickly. I mostly just wore my jalaba. Bring a warm jumper, long trousers and a jacket for the evenings.
In the Atlas mountains and the Sahara desert it gets really cold at night. Bring real winter clothes if you go there. The sea is about 17 to 18°C. For surfing you'll want a 3/2 wetsuit. The warm layers and gear I travel with are on my travel resources page.
Where to stay in winter
The best is to stay in the van. Then you can move with the weather.
If you're not travelling by van, these are the places I'd look at for a winter base.
Mirleft and Sidi Ifni
Mirleft is a pretty little town on the southern coast. The weather is good even in winter. My parents came to visit me here. They really liked it. It's a bit local and a bit touristy. There are lots of food places nearby. I spent a good part of my solo months around here.
Sidi Ifni is just down the coast. It was Spanish until 1969. You can still see it in the blue-and-white art deco buildings.
These are the places to stay in Mirleft. On the map you can compare all the booking sites at once.
More places for a winter base
- Agadir is the city in the bay. It has an airport and the same mild weather.
- Taghazout is the busy surf village just north of Agadir. It's popular for a reason. For me it lost a bit of its charm with all the tourism.
- Sidi Kaouki and Essaouira are windier and a bit cooler. They're good for kitesurfers.
- Dakhla is the warmest of all. I wrote a whole post on kitesurfing in Dakhla and where to stay.
- Tetouan in the north has direct flights. It's cooler and wetter in winter. It's still a lovely start.
This map shows the whole Agadir bay, from Agadir up to Taghazout.
Dakhla is the warmest spot. These are the places to stay there.
Winter in Morocco by van
I spent both winters in my old Mercedes van, together with my dog Wingo. The nights in the van get cold too, especially inland. Bring a warm sleeping bag. Everything about the ferry, the dog paperwork, costs and safety is in my vanlife Morocco post.
I'm considering going again this winter. Everything I learned in those two winters is in my guide Roadtrip Morocco & Western Sahara.
Roadtrip Morocco & Western Sahara
It's like having a friend on the seat next to you.
There are 28 travel tips in the guide. They go way beyond the van. The culture is in there: Ramadan, haggling, the hammam, cooking on the fire, the spices and Ayurveda on the road. So is the practical side, from the ferry to the visa extension in Dakhla.
- 125+ spots I've been to, from beaches and souks to hot springs, all on one map
- Three routes, from four easy days to our loop all the way to Dakhla and back
- No 4×4 needed
More questions about Morocco's winter weather
Is Morocco warm in December?
In the south, yes. Agadir and Taghazout average around 22°C during the day in December. The nights drop to about 10°C. In Dakhla it's even warmer, with nights around 15°C.
How cold is Morocco in January?
January is the coldest month everywhere. On the south coast the days are still around 21°C. The nights drop to about 8°C. In Marrakech the nights get down to about 6°C. In the mountains and the desert it often freezes at night.
Where is the warmest place in Morocco in winter?
The warmest place is Dakhla, in Western Sahara. Days are around 22°C and nights stay at 14 to 15°C. It hardly ever rains there either. On the Moroccan coast itself, the Agadir bay and the coast south of it are the warmest.
Does it rain in Morocco in winter?
The south is dry. Agadir averages about three rainy days a month in winter. Dakhla gets less than one. The north is the wet part of Morocco. Tetouan gets seven to nine rainy days a month.
Is winter a good time to visit Morocco?
Yes, if you go to the southern coastal towns for the winter sun. It's dry and the days are warm. In the Atlas mountains and the Sahara desert the nights get really cold.
Is Marrakech cold in winter?
During the day Marrakech is around 19 to 21°C. At night it drops to about 6 to 8°C. Bring a warm layer for the evenings. Up in the Atlas mountains it gets a lot colder.
What is the best time to visit Morocco?
For me it's October to May. You avoid the summer heat and the winter cold of Europe. For surfing, October to January is best. Kitesurfers get better conditions from February.
Is Morocco good for a winter trip by van?
Yes. I spent two winters there by van. I'm considering going again this winter. The south coast is mild and dry. The ferry from southern Spain only takes about an hour.
Live a little wilder.
With love, Suzanne
Wild at heart? Let's be friends.
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Read next
Tarifa to Chefchaouen: weekend trip from Spain to Morocco
Vanlife Morocco Guide 2026: Campervan, Dog & Costs
Kitesurfing in Dakhla and where to stayAll my Morocco postsWatch on YouTube
About Suzanne
Six years living in a van, nine months of it in Morocco and Western Sahara with my dog Wingo. Five Atlantic crossings and 50,000+ nautical miles at sea. 2,500+ km of thru-hiking. Founder of Ocean Nomads. I travel by sail, van and on foot. Full bio: about me. Say hi on Instagram or YouTube.
Disclaimer: As always, opinions are my own. What drives me is care for nature, getting you into nature, and encouragement for natural living. If you're looking to book a place to stay or a gear item, huge thanks if you purchase it via this website. At no extra cost to you, orders and bookings through this website give me a tiny piece of the pie that helps me keep investigating, exploring, and creating content about living with and for nature.
