Ouarzazate Weather

Weather in Ouarzazate
Situated in the south of the country, between the Sahara Desert and the High Atlas Mountains, holidays in Ouarzazate can experience extremes of temperature. Even in summer, when it blazing hot during the day, it can get cold at night. Winters can be interesting, with temperatures reaching 17C in the town but with the snow-capped mountains in the distance. The best time to visit is probably spring or autumn, as the summer temperatures of around 38°C are too hot for sightseeing to be comfortable. When it’s not too hot, the blue sky and sun make the surroundings all the more breathtakingly beautiful.

Ouarzazate Weather - Blue skies framing the magnificent scenery
Rain in Ouarzazate tends to fall between December and March, and is heaviest in March with an average of just over 20cm. July is by far the driest month, when there is barely enough rain to register. Despite the low rainfall, the area around Ouarzazate is not all arid desert and rock outcrops, there are also fertile valleys with hedgerows of pink rose bushes, wheat crops and palm trees, thanks to the rivers bringing water down from the High Atlas Mountains. The higher points in the mountains are covered with snow until well into the summer and there are ski resorts with a season lasting from December through to March. What you are virtually guaranteed in Ouarzazate, of course, is sun. There are around 340 days of sunshine each year, with blues skies and desert sunsets making a dramatic backdrop for the magnificent Kasbahs and mountain gorges.

Weather In Ouarzazate - Perfect for exploring in spring and autumn
To see the beautiful Valley of the Roses at its best would mean visiting just before the flowers are harvested in early May, and this time of year, with the contrasts between the fertile and barren landscapes at their most marked, is perfect for visiting Ouarzazate. The weather is pleasant at this time of year, too, with average daily temperatures in April reaching 26°C. The temperature drops considerably between August, when it’s 38°C, and September, when it becomes a pleasant enough 28°C. The temperature stays in the high 20’s into October, making it comfortable enough to explore by camel or 4X4.

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