Morocco has a Mediterranean climate in the north and a desert climate in the south. In general, it rarelyrains in Morocco, and then primarily in the winter months. It also tends to rain slightly more in the north of the country than in the south, although this variation is subtle. Peak travel times to the whole country are in the Spring and Fall, when the country is at its most temperate and abundant.
Broadly speaking, there are four climatological "zones" in Morocco - the coast, the mountains, the desert, and the country's interior.
Along the coast of Morocco the weather is typically very mild. In the north, you can occasionally cool and mildly wet undertones - somewhat similar to that of San Francisco. Temperatures in a city like Tangier range from the 50's in the winter months to the high 70's in the summer. The rest of the Atlantic coast all the way through places like Essaouira are extremely pleasant all year round.
Current Conditions in Morocco
WEATHER
As with any large mountain range, it can get extremely cold in the Atlas, Anti-Altas and Rif mountains, particularly in winter, when it can plummet to sub-zero temperatues. Snows have been known to block some of the roads during these months. Regardless of what time of year you go, if you want to spend time in the mountains, bring plenty of warm clothing.
The oases and hammada leading out to the great Sahara can become extremely hot during the day, and absolutely chilly during the night. (This is because a lack of moisture in the air does not allow it to hold any heat.) Here, full summer gear and long underwear can sometimes be invaluable on the same day!
Current Conditions in Morocco
WEATHER
Finally, the interior of the country, and Marrakech in particular, can become extremely hot, especially in the height of the summer, with cool evenings.
Broadly speaking, there are four climatological "zones" in Morocco - the coast, the mountains, the desert, and the country's interior.
Along the coast of Morocco the weather is typically very mild. In the north, you can occasionally cool and mildly wet undertones - somewhat similar to that of San Francisco. Temperatures in a city like Tangier range from the 50's in the winter months to the high 70's in the summer. The rest of the Atlantic coast all the way through places like Essaouira are extremely pleasant all year round.
Current Conditions in Morocco
WEATHER
As with any large mountain range, it can get extremely cold in the Atlas, Anti-Altas and Rif mountains, particularly in winter, when it can plummet to sub-zero temperatues. Snows have been known to block some of the roads during these months. Regardless of what time of year you go, if you want to spend time in the mountains, bring plenty of warm clothing.
The oases and hammada leading out to the great Sahara can become extremely hot during the day, and absolutely chilly during the night. (This is because a lack of moisture in the air does not allow it to hold any heat.) Here, full summer gear and long underwear can sometimes be invaluable on the same day!
Current Conditions in Morocco
WEATHER
Finally, the interior of the country, and Marrakech in particular, can become extremely hot, especially in the height of the summer, with cool evenings.
Morocco culture is beautifully complex, with influences that are as old as recorded human history, and as new as the latest technology. The product of these forces is a culture as rich as any on the planet, a mixture of Islam and Berber-influenced conservatives and postmodern Western "liberalism". Moroccan arts and culture are tremendously sophisticated, are the subject of many books and can be the subject of an entire trip to the country.
Influences
Deepest among the montage of cultural influences are the country's Berber and Arabic roots. The cultural dialogue between Arab and Berber culture is at the core of Moroccan national identity and culture.
The Berbers, or Amazighs, have been in Moroccofor at least 4000 years, practicing sedentary agriculture in the mountains and valleys throughout northern Africa. Some Berbers have always engaged in trade throughout the region, and such practices certainly had a tremendous influence on the history of the African continent. (Trade routes established from western Africa to the Mediterranean connected the peoples of southern Europe with much of sub-Saharan Africa thousands of years ago.) Berber culture resisted assimilation for millennia, and is unusual in other ways as well: for example, it is matriarchal, and women play a very different role in society than in many other cultures around the world. With its roots in the mountains and in the desert, Berber culture flourishes in the interior of Morocco, where Berber crafts remain alive and strong tribal structures still predominate.
The Arab culture, with its roots at Mecca and Medina, and in Islamic southern Spain, is the the sister culture to the Berbers, and it most influential in the north and coastal regions of the country. Islam, with its common language, heritage of the hajj and support of the arts and sciences, helped Morocco become a cosmopolitan kingdom, attuned to the great innovations of the day in every field of human endeavor.
Overlaying the deep and ancient cultures of the Arabs and Berbers are complex forces of post-colonialism and modern global culture. Moroccans are rightly proud of their independence, and liberty from the French, and yet are highly dependant on tourism for income, often from the very same country. A walk down the street in any major city will witnessjellaba-clad Islamic traditionalists, who eschew any form of European influence, and Levi's-clad youngsters in Internet cafes talking about the latest "Jurrassic Park" sequel.
The result of these forces is neither a complete rejection or embrace of the West, but the synthesis of contemporary Moroccan culture that maintains its deep Islamic and Berber roots, while selectively integrating elements of Western influence into a larger Islamic whole.
Influences
Deepest among the montage of cultural influences are the country's Berber and Arabic roots. The cultural dialogue between Arab and Berber culture is at the core of Moroccan national identity and culture.
The Berbers, or Amazighs, have been in Moroccofor at least 4000 years, practicing sedentary agriculture in the mountains and valleys throughout northern Africa. Some Berbers have always engaged in trade throughout the region, and such practices certainly had a tremendous influence on the history of the African continent. (Trade routes established from western Africa to the Mediterranean connected the peoples of southern Europe with much of sub-Saharan Africa thousands of years ago.) Berber culture resisted assimilation for millennia, and is unusual in other ways as well: for example, it is matriarchal, and women play a very different role in society than in many other cultures around the world. With its roots in the mountains and in the desert, Berber culture flourishes in the interior of Morocco, where Berber crafts remain alive and strong tribal structures still predominate.
The Arab culture, with its roots at Mecca and Medina, and in Islamic southern Spain, is the the sister culture to the Berbers, and it most influential in the north and coastal regions of the country. Islam, with its common language, heritage of the hajj and support of the arts and sciences, helped Morocco become a cosmopolitan kingdom, attuned to the great innovations of the day in every field of human endeavor.
Overlaying the deep and ancient cultures of the Arabs and Berbers are complex forces of post-colonialism and modern global culture. Moroccans are rightly proud of their independence, and liberty from the French, and yet are highly dependant on tourism for income, often from the very same country. A walk down the street in any major city will witnessjellaba-clad Islamic traditionalists, who eschew any form of European influence, and Levi's-clad youngsters in Internet cafes talking about the latest "Jurrassic Park" sequel.
The result of these forces is neither a complete rejection or embrace of the West, but the synthesis of contemporary Moroccan culture that maintains its deep Islamic and Berber roots, while selectively integrating elements of Western influence into a larger Islamic whole.