Morocco spent much of the summer of 2026 under repeated bouts of extreme heat, with temperatures repeatedly exceeding 40°C and approaching 50°C in some parts of the country.
By July 26, Morocco had already experienced four heatwaves in three months, according to the national meteorological service.
During one episode in late July, temperatures reached 44°C to 47°C in parts of the south and southeast, while some areas recorded temperatures as much as 12°C above seasonal averages.
On July 1, more than nine Moroccan cities recorded temperatures above 40°C. Kenitra reached 42.2°C, while Salé recorded 40°C. Even Casablanca, whose Atlantic location normally moderates summer temperatures, reached 33.4°C.
The heat intensified by mid-July. On July 17, 12 cities recorded temperatures above 40°C, with Taourirt reaching 46°C, Oujda 45.7°C and Zagora 43.5°C. Tetouan, which generally experiences milder temperatures than inland areas, reached 40.3°C.
Another heatwave began around July 20, bringing temperatures of 44°C to 47°C to parts of southern and southeastern Morocco.
The following week, the national meteorological service warned that temperatures could again reach 46°C in inland and southern areas.
A further heatwave was forecast from July 29 to Aug. 1, with temperatures expected to reach 47°C in several provinces.
Morocco’s national temperature record remains 50.4°C, recorded in Agadir on Aug. 11, 2023. It was the first time temperatures in the country exceeded 50°C.
July 2024 also brought extreme temperatures, including 47.7°C in Beni Mellal and 47.6°C in Marrakech.
The national meteorological service described July 2024 as having two successive heatwaves, including one that lasted 10 days.
But the significance of Morocco’s recent heat is not limited to whether a particular year breaks the national temperature record.
There are growing indications that the country’s baseline temperatures are becoming warmer, with average temperatures increasingly exceeding what was considered normal in previous decades.
Another indicator is the frequency of unusually warm days, as temperatures increasingly rise well above seasonal averages across different parts of the country. Areas that typically experience milder conditions are also occasionally exposed to extreme heat.
High temperatures are also arriving earlier in the year rather than being confined to the peak of summer. This can extend the period during which people, crops and water resources are exposed to heat stress.
During recent heatwaves, Morocco has repeatedly recorded temperatures several degrees above seasonal norms, with some episodes producing departures of more than 10°C.
Those departures can be as important as individual temperature records because they show how unusual the conditions are for a particular location and time of year.
The repeated occurrence of such episodes raises a broader question for Morocco: whether extreme heat is becoming an increasingly persistent feature of the country’s climate rather than an occasional summer anomaly.
The post Morocco’s 2026 heatwaves in numbers: Is extreme heat becoming the new normal? appeared first on HESPRESS English - Morocco News.
Follow the story
