Ouarzazat Holiday Weather Overview
Situated on a high plain south of the Atlas Mountains, Ouarzazate is nicknamed “The Door of the Desert”. A popular base for desert excursions, the town is also an important film-making location - films from Lawrence of Arabia right up to Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and parts of Game of Thrones have been made here.
Ouarzazate is a town with a strong Berber heritage, and is known for its Kasbahs. A unique fortified village nearby, Ait Benhaddou, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ouarzazte’s Climate
Ouarzazate has an arid climate, with extremes of temperature - very hot summers give way to sometimes very cold winters. There is minimal rainfall throughout the year, and the desert lies just south of the town.
Ouarzazate in Winter
In common with most desert climates, there is a big temperature drop in Ouarzazate at night, and this will be most keenly felt at night. Daytime highs between December and February average a mild 16-17°C, but most nights sit at or only just above the freezing mark.
There is very little rainfall, although you may catch an occasional brief shower if you are lucky. The wind in Ouarzazate catches many tourists by surprise in the winter; these winds come down from the High Atlas Mountains and can be extremely icy so take a scarf to use as protection from the wind and from the occasional sandstorms it blows up.
Ouarzazate in Spring and Autumn
Spring and autumn are the most popular times of year for visiting Ouarzazate; it’s not too hot or too cold, and these are the best times for hiking, rock climbing and desert tours. In spring, you can see desert flowers blooming under the occasional short, sharp showers. Average highs are 23°C in March rising to 31°C in May, with overnight lows of between 10 and 13°C, so still feeling chilly at night.
Autumn daily highs are higher; temperatures in September average 34°C, falling to 23°C in November, with overnight lows ranging from 17°C to 7°C in the same period. Winds begin to get up late in autumn, but it’s still a good time for outdoor pursuits.
Ouarzazate in Summer
Since it is effectively right next to the desert, Ouarzazate is scorching in summer, as you might expect. Between June and August, average daily highs are 37-39°C - and remember, these are averages, so it’s often a lot hotter than that - temperatures in the high 40s Celsius are by no means unknown.
Summer nights in Ouarzazate are a warm 20°C, but this is still a big drop from the daytime temperature, and can initially feel chilly until you adjust to the changing temperatures.
Most tourists avoid Ouarzazate in the summer as the heat is uncomfortable, and it’s difficult to move around, which defeats much of the point of visiting. If you do go in the summer, wear a scarf to protect your head, neck and shoulders from the burning sun, and be sure to drink plenty of water.
Best months to visit Ouarzazat?
April and October are the best month to go for holiday or travel to Ouarzazat. The weather averages gathered from Ouarzazat weather forecast and Ouarzazat weather history also forecast these months temperature to be around 25°c and average of 332.0667 hours of sunshine in a month.
Coldest months of Ouarzazat?
January and February are the coldest months with temperature at around 3°c.
Which months receive most rainfall in Ouarzazat?
November and February receive most rainfall with precipitation count of 18.92mm.
Travelling to Ouarzazat? Check out our Weather averages of Ouarzazat to better plan your holiday or travel.
If you would just like to know what the weather was for a past dates for research or education or you are just curious then visit our historical weather of Ouarzazat section.