Essaouira · Month comparison

September vs May

May ranks #1 overall vs September at #6. Best all-round month — 21C, almost no rain, wind manageable till midday, riad rates not yet at summer peak.

September Essaouira medina rooftops at golden hour with calm Atlantic

September

#6 of 12 months

Best match

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

  • ↑Wind drops 20% from August — beach time possible till 16:00
  • ↑Sea temperature peaks at 19C — warmest year-round for swimming
May Essaouira ramparts overlooking Atlantic with surfers in distance

May

#1 of 12 months

Best match

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
FactorSeptemberMay
Weather score
8
9
Value score
5
6
Crowd score
5
5
Events score
6
5
Atmosphere
9
9
Avg high temp23°C21°C
Monthly rain4mm7mm
Daily sunshine10hrs10hrs

September trade-offs

  • ↓First two weeks still busy with European late-summer travel
  • ↓Wind still 30-35 km/h afternoons — strong for parasols
  • ↓Some smaller riads pause for 1-week cleaning at month-end

May trade-offs

  • ↓Kitesurf schools busiest as Europeans descend for half-term break
  • ↓Boutique riad rates jumping 20-30% vs April
  • ↓Top riads (Heure Bleue, La Sultana) require 6-8 week lead time
See all 12 months for Essaouira →September in detail →May in detail →
Scores compare months within Essaouira. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →