May Essaouira ramparts overlooking Atlantic with surfers in distance

Best time to visit Essaouira for good weather

When is the best weather in Essaouira? Monthly breakdown of temperature, rainfall, and sunshine hours — ranked by what actually matters for your trip.

Best month

May

Best all-round month — 21C, almost no rain, wind manageable till midday, riad rates not yet at summer peak.

Sea temp climbing to 18C — surf possible in 3/2 wetsuit

Morning calm allows breakfast on the ramparts and a beach walk before wind picks up

Local artist galleries on Rue Skala open extended hours for shoulder market

All months ranked — Good weather

May

Best match

Best all-round month — 21C, almost no rain, wind manageable till midday, riad rates not yet at summer peak.

#1 for good weather

April

Best match

Sweet-spot shoulder — 20C, manageable wind before summer Alizé surge, Easter brings a brief crowd then it eases.

#2 for good weather

October

Best match

Best balance month — 22C, wind easing further, surf swells returning, Europeans returning for school-holiday breaks.

#3 for good weather

June

Best match

Gnawa World Music Festival mid-month — 400,000 visitors flood the medina for 4 days, then it returns to a hot dry summer rhythm.

#4 for good weather

September

Best match

Sweet shoulder month — wind easing slightly, Moroccan school holidays ending, sea at warmest 19C, hotel rates dropping by 30%.

#5 for good weather

March

Best match

Shoulder begins — 19C and drier, European spring-break visitors arriving in trickle, medina cafes filling again.

#6 for good weather

November

Strong option

Wind drops dramatically, surf season fully in — 20C, storm-front rain returns, riad rates back at off-season levels.

#7 for good weather

January

Strong option

Quietest month — mild grey 18C days, occasional Atlantic storms, riads from MAD 400/night, medina belongs to locals again.

#8 for good weather

February

Strong option

Still off-season — riads cheap, medina relaxed, occasional sunny windows make this a stealth-good month for fish-grill lunches.

#9 for good weather

December

Strong option

Christmas-New Year European escape — 19C, riad rates briefly spike for festive week, otherwise quiet wet winter.

#10 for good weather

July

Worth considering

Peak Alizé wind season — 35-45 km/h afternoon trade winds make it kitesurfing world capital but blast the beach.

#11 for good weather

August

Worth considering

Moroccan vacation peak — entire families from Casablanca and Marrakech rent apartments for the month, town is buzzing but rates max.

#12 for good weather

Other priorities for Essaouira

Good weather in other destinations

Scores are directional — designed to compare months within Essaouira, not to make precise claims. Full methodology →