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Agafay desert weather, month by month

Agafay desert weather swings between hot summer days and cold winter nights. The desert itself has no weather station, so the figures here are the Marrakech (Menara) station's, the nearest: a mean day high of 38°C (100°F) in July, a mean night low of 6°C (43°F) in January, and most of the little rain from November to April. Ride at any hour from October to April, swim from May to October, and pack winter layers for a tent night from December to February.

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Bare red-brown hills of the Agafay Desert on a January evening, with the High Atlas in haze on the horizon
Red-brown hills of the Agafay Desert with the High Atlas hazy in the distance.Photo: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

The month board: Agafay weather and what it suits

Read across a row for your month. The first eight columns are the Marrakech station's averages for 1991 to 2020; the last three turn them into a word for each thing people come to do. A ride at midday is judged by the very hot days: where ten or more days in an average month reach 35°C, ride early or late only; where three or more do, avoid the middle of the day. The pool is judged by the day high: a swim in an unheated pool from the high twenties up, warm sun for a lunch by the water in the low to mid twenties, and below that only a heated pool. A night in a tent is judged by the night low: cold in single figures, cool up to the low teens, mild above.

Agafay weather month by monthMarrakech weather averages (station WMO 60230), 1991 to 2020; sunshine 1981 to 2010. Days are the average count in the month.
MonthDay highNight lowRainRain daysDays at 35°C or moreDays at 40°C or moreWindy daysSunshineQuad, buggy or camel at middayPool dayNight in a tent
January 19°C (66°F) 6°C (43°F) 25 mm 3 days 0 days 0 days 4 days 230 hours Any hourHeated pool onlyCold
February 21°C (70°F) 8°C (46°F) 26 mm 4 days 0 days 0 days 7 days 217 hours Any hourHeated pool onlyCold
March 24°C (75°F) 10°C (50°F) 35 mm 5 days under 1 day 0 days 14 days 253 hours Any hourWarm sunCool
April 26°C (79°F) 12°C (54°F) 26 mm 3 days 1 day 0 days 18 days 270 hours Any hourWarm sunCool
May 29°C (84°F) 15°C (59°F) 11 mm 2 days 5 days 1 day 24 days 303 hours Avoid middaySwimMild
June 34°C (93°F) 18°C (64°F) 3 mm 1 day 11 days 3 days 24 days 360 hours Early or late onlySwimMild
July 38°C (100°F) 21°C (70°F) 2 mm under 1 day 23 days 9 days 22 days 330 hours Early or late onlySwimMild
August 37°C (99°F) 21°C (70°F) 5 mm 1 day 22 days 8 days 20 days 315 hours Early or late onlySwimMild
September 33°C (91°F) 19°C (66°F) 15 mm 1 day 9 days 1 day 16 days 267 hours Avoid middaySwimMild
October 29°C (84°F) 16°C (61°F) 19 mm 2 days 2 days 0 days 10 days 252 hours Any hourSwimMild
November 23°C (73°F) 11°C (52°F) 30 mm 4 days 0 days 0 days 5 days 229 hours Any hourWarm sunCool
December 20°C (68°F) 7°C (45°F) 24 mm 4 days 0 days 0 days 4 days 227 hours Any hourHeated pool onlyCold

Windy days: days when the station measures wind of ten metres a second or more, a fresh breeze or stronger. The colour follows the word: green suits the activity as most people plan it, amber asks for a change of hour or kit, brown limits it to the form the word names.

So the year falls into three parts. From October to April a quad, buggy or camel ride works at any hour. In May and September the middle of the day is hot, and from June to August it is for early mornings and late afternoons only. A pool day is a swim from May to October, and from December to February only the camps with a heated pool make swimming likely. Which camps have one, and the passes that include lunch, are on Agafay pool day pass.

The packing list for any month and outing, worked out from the same Marrakech averages, is on the page on what to wear in Agafay.

The day and the night: a wide swing

The bigger story of the weather in Agafay desert is the gap between afternoon and night. In every month the mean night low sits well below the day high: in January the station's average day runs from 6°C to 19°C (43°F to 66°F), in July from 21°C to 38°C (70°F to 100°F). The plateau is dry, the sky is mostly clear, and the warmth goes as soon as the sun does.

That gap decides more of your plan than the season. A dinner trip leaves in the warm afternoon and comes back in the cold dark. Sunset times and how fast it gets dark, month by month, are on Agafay desert sunset; the whole evening, with the drive back, is on Agafay at night.

  1. Jan6°C to 19°C (43°F to 66°F)
  2. Feb8°C to 21°C (46°F to 70°F)
  3. Mar10°C to 24°C (50°F to 75°F)
  4. Apr12°C to 26°C (54°F to 79°F)
  5. May15°C to 29°C (59°F to 84°F)
  6. Jun18°C to 34°C (64°F to 93°F)
  7. Jul21°C to 38°C (70°F to 100°F)
  8. Aug21°C to 37°C (70°F to 99°F)
  9. Sep19°C to 33°C (66°F to 91°F)
  10. Oct16°C to 29°C (61°F to 84°F)
  11. Nov11°C to 23°C (52°F to 73°F)
  12. Dec7°C to 20°C (45°F to 68°F)
Each bar runs from the mean night low to the mean day high at the Marrakech station, on one scale for the whole year. Darker bars: months with ten or more days at 35°C or more.

Summer heat: June to September

From June to September the afternoons are the hard part. In July the station averages 23 days at 35°C or more and 9 days at 40°C or more; August is close behind with 22 days and 8 days. Over a whole year the station counts 22 days of extreme heat on average, most of them in July and August.

The heat comes in spells. The DGM, Morocco's weather service, describes the Chergui as a hot dry continental wind that blows in from the interior when low pressure builds over the land to the south-east and the Atlantic's cooling fades. In its report on the July 2026 spell it gives temperatures 5 to 12°C above the seasonal normals. On such days the month's average tells you little.

The DGM's advice in heat is plain: limit outdoor activity in the hottest hours, drink regularly, and look after children, older people and anyone chronically ill. Under an orange or red heat warning it gives the hottest hours as 11:00 to 21:00 and advises not going out in them. For a summer quad ride, book the first slot of the morning; the timings are on quad biking in Agafay. For a pool day, check what shade the camp has built.

23 daysat 35°C or more in an average July

Day high 38°C (100°F), night low 21°C (70°F), 330 hours of sunshine in the month.

Winter cold: the nights from November to March

Winter days in Agafay are mild and bright. The January day high at the station is 19°C (66°F), and even December has 227 hours of sunshine. Then the sun goes and the cold comes quickly. The mean night low is 6°C (43°F) in January, 8°C (46°F) in February and 7°C (45°F) in December, and those are averages from a station at the city's edge: some nights go lower, and an open camp on the plateau can feel colder.

For a night in a tent from December to February, ask the camp whether the tents have heaters and extra blankets, and bring a proper coat for dinner outside. One camp night sold as a package with dinner is Agafay Desert Retreat, Tent, Dinner, Show & Pool; ask about heating before you book it. The camps and their prices are on Agafay camps; the simplest pitches are on camping in Agafay. March and November sit between, with night lows near 10°C (50°F) and 11°C (52°F).

6°C (43°F)mean night low in January

Against a mean day high of 19°C (66°F). The layers to bring, month by month, are on the page on what to wear in Agafay.

Rain, flash floods and wind

Agafay is dry. The station averages 221 mm of rain in a year, on 29 days with 1 mm or more. The wettest month is March, with 35 mm on 5 days, then November with 30 mm; in July the station averages under 1 day with rain. With so few rain days, a wet day is the exception even in winter; when it comes, the tracks turn slippery.

  • The US Department of State

    Its road safety section states flash flooding is frequent in the rainy season, which it gives as November to March.

  • Smartraveller (Australia)

    It states the flash flood risk is higher in the mountains and near rivers in the rainy season, November to March.

  • The DGM

    It treats wind as violent, and so dangerous, from 70 / 100 km/h (mean speed / gusts). Under an orange wind warning it advises limiting travel and checking conditions first; under red, staying home and avoiding all outdoor activity.

Wind is more common than rain. The station counts days with a fresh breeze or stronger in every month, from 4 days in January to 24 days in June, and from April to September on more than half the days. On a quad or a camel the wind brings dust, so a scarf earns its place, and goggles: the operator Quad Agafay, for one, lists them as included. Dust itself is not one of the DGM's warning types: its warnings cover heavy rain, strong wind, cold and heat waves, snow and high waves. During the July 2026 heat spell the DGM said winds could lift sand and cut visibility in the east and south of the country, regions beyond Marrakech.

Checking the forecast before you go

The averages plan a month; the forecast plans the day. The DGM's vigilance map rates each province in 4 levels: green for no risk, then yellow, orange and red for extreme risk. It covers the next day and the day after, comes out at least three times a day, at 6:00, 10:00, 16:00, and is updated whenever things change. For Agafay, read the provinces around Marrakech.

Two habits help. Check the evening before an early start, once the afternoon map is out. And search your weather app for Marrakech: that gives you the city station, the one the figures on this page come from.

Station
Marrakech (Menara) station, WMO 60230
Elevation
464 m
Averages
1991 to 2020, the WMO climate normals; sunshine 1981 to 2010
Where
At the city's edge, by Menara airport, not out on the plateau
Full table
The station sheet from NOAA's archive

Questions people ask

What is the best month to visit Agafay?

It depends on what you want. For a quad, buggy or camel ride at any hour, October to April. For swimming in a camp pool, May to October. For a night in a tent without winter clothes, the months outside December to February. Spring and autumn suit most plans at once: in April the station's mean day high is 26°C (79°F) and in October 29°C (84°F).

How cold does Agafay get at night?

Agafay has no station, so the nearest figure is the Marrakech station's. Its mean night low is 6°C (43°F) in January, 7°C (45°F) in December and 21°C (70°F) in July. Those are averages for the city's edge; some nights are colder, and an open camp loses its warmth fast after sunset. From December to February bring a coat, a hat and gloves.

How hot is Agafay in summer?

Hot in the afternoon. In July the Marrakech station's mean day high is 38°C (100°F), with 23 days at 35°C or more in an average month and 9 days at 40°C or more. In Chergui spells the DGM reports temperatures well above normal. Ride early or late, and under an orange or red heat warning stay out of the sun from 11:00 to 21:00.

Does it rain in the Agafay Desert?

A little. The Marrakech station averages 221 mm a year on 29 days with 1 mm or more, mostly from November to April; summer is almost dry. The US Department of State and Smartraveller both name November to March as the season when flash floods are more likely, above all near rivers and in the mountains.

Where can I find an Agafay weather forecast?

Use the forecast for Marrakech, the nearest station, and the DGM's vigilance map for warnings of heat, wind and heavy rain. The map is issued at least three times a day, at 6:00, 10:00, 16:00.

Sources

  1. Smartraveller states flash flood risk in Morocco is higher in the mountains or near rivers during the rainy season from November to March. Smartraveller (DFAT), Morocco travel advice, Flooding, 29 July 2026.
  2. The US Department of State's road-safety section states flash flooding is frequent during the rainy season, which it gives there as November to March (its weather section says October to March; Smartraveller gives November to March). US Department of State, Morocco country information, Road conditions and safety, 13 August 2026.
  3. The DGM describes the Chergui as a hot, dry continental wind pushed toward central and northern Morocco when the Saharan thermal low strengthens, reducing the Atlantic's cooling influence ("hot dry continental wind"). Direction Générale de la Météorologie (DGM), Vague de chaleur au Maroc : Quand le Chergui domine (news page), 1 July 2026.
  4. The DGM reports that during the Chergui heat episode of early July 2026 temperatures exceeded seasonal normals by 5 to 12 °C. Direction Générale de la Météorologie (DGM), Vague de chaleur au Maroc : Quand le Chergui domine (news page), 1 July 2026.
  5. The DGM states that during the July 2026 Chergui episode moderate to locally fairly strong winds could lift sand and reduce visibility in eastern and southern regions possible. Direction Générale de la Météorologie (DGM), Vague de chaleur au Maroc : Quand le Chergui domine (news page), 1 July 2026.
  6. The DGM advises during heat episodes to limit outdoor activity in the hottest hours, drink regularly and protect children, older people and the chronically ill advice. Direction Générale de la Météorologie (DGM), Vague de chaleur au Maroc : Quand le Chergui domine (news page), 1 July 2026.
  7. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean annual precipitation total is, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 published by NOAA NCEI: 221.0 mm. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  8. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean annual number of days with precipitation of 1 mm or more is, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 published by NOAA NCEI: 29.1. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  9. The Marrakech climate station (WMO 60230) stands at 31°36'40"N, 8°01'43"W, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 station sheet published by NOAA NCEI 31.6111,-8.0286. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  10. The Marrakech climate station (WMO 60230) stands at an elevation of, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 station sheet: 464 m. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  11. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean total hours of sunshine in December is, per the WMO climate normals 1981 to 2010 published by NOAA NCEI: 226.6. WMO Climate Normals 1981-2010, station sheet Marrakech (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI.
  12. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean number of days with a maximum temperature of 35 °C or more in July is, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 published by NOAA NCEI: 22.9. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  13. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean number of days with a maximum temperature of 40 °C or more in July is, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 published by NOAA NCEI: 8.8. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  14. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean annual number of days with a maximum temperature of 40 °C or more is, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 published by NOAA NCEI: 22.3. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  15. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean daily maximum temperature in January is, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 published by NOAA NCEI: 19.1°C. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  16. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean daily maximum temperature in July is, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 published by NOAA NCEI: 37.7°C. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  17. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean daily minimum temperature in January is, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 published by NOAA NCEI: 5.9°C. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  18. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean daily minimum temperature in July is, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 published by NOAA NCEI: 20.6°C. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  19. The DGM weather vigilance map rates each province and coastal strip in four colour levels: green (no risk), yellow, orange and red (extreme risk) 4. Direction Générale de la Météorologie (DGM), Vigilance: C'est quoi la vigilance ?.
  20. The DGM vigilance map covers the next 24 and 48 hours and is issued at least three times a day, at 6:00, 10:00 and 16:00, and updated whenever the situation changes. Direction Générale de la Météorologie (DGM), Vigilance: C'est quoi la vigilance ?.
  21. The DGM vigilance system covers heavy rain, strong winds, cold waves, heat waves, heavy snow and high waves (plus thunderstorms on the phenomena page); air quality and dust are not listed as vigilance phenomena 6. Direction Générale de la Météorologie (DGM), Vigilance: C'est quoi la vigilance ?.
  22. The DGM treats a wind as violent, and so dangerous, from a mean speed of 70 km/h or gusts of 100 km/h. Direction Générale de la Météorologie (DGM), Vigilance: Phénomènes météorologiques dangereux.
  23. Under an orange or red heat-wave vigilance the DGM advises avoiding going out in the hottest hours, which it gives as 11:00 to 21:00. Direction Générale de la Météorologie (DGM), Vigilance: Conseils de comportement.
  24. Under an orange strong-wind vigilance the DGM advises limiting travel and checking conditions first; under red, staying home and avoiding all outdoor activity advice. Direction Générale de la Météorologie (DGM), Vigilance: Conseils de comportement.
  25. At the Marrakech station (WMO 60230), the mean number of days with a wind speed of 10 m/s or more in May is, per the WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 published by NOAA NCEI: 23.7. WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, station sheet MARRAKECH (WMO 60230), archived by NOAA NCEI (accession 0253808, v6.6).
  26. Climate normals, Marrakech (Menara) station (Agafay has no station of its own). WMO climate normals 1991 to 2020 for the Marrakech (Menara) station, WMO 60230, published by NOAA NCEI; sunshine hours from the 1981 to 2010 normals

Photographs

  1. Agafay with the High Atlas behind. Photo: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0