Agadir is often sold with one line: “300 days of sunshine a year.” It is close enough to the truth, but it hides what makes the weather here interesting. Agadir sits where the Atlantic meets the edge of the Sahara, and the two are always pushing against each other. Understanding that tug of war is the best way to plan a trip.
Why Agadir stays mild all year
Most of Morocco has hot summers and cold winters. Agadir doesn’t. Daytime highs only move from about 20°C in January to 28°C in August, a range of just eight degrees.
The reason is the ocean. The Canary Current, a cool current flowing south along the coast, keeps the sea between 17°C and 22°C all year. The air over the city never strays far from the temperature of the water. Inland cities like Taroudant, only 80 km away, see summer highs of 38°C and winter nights close to freezing.
The morning fog
From May to August, visitors are often surprised to wake up under a grey sky. This is sea fog: the warm land heats the air, which draws in cool, damp ocean air at low level. Overnight it condenses into low cloud that rolls in over the coast.
It looks gloomy, but it is a good sign. The fog usually burns off between 10 am and noon, and the rest of the day is bright. It also keeps summer mornings fresh. If you’re planning a sunrise walk to the Kasbah in June, have a backup plan; if you’re planning a beach afternoon, don’t worry.
The afternoon wind
In summer, a north to northwest wind picks up most afternoons along the coast. It is the same sea breeze that keeps temperatures down, and it is strongest between 2 pm and 6 pm.
For surfers, this means the best conditions are usually in the morning, before the wind messes up the waves. For beachgoers, it means you might want a windbreak or a spot near the promenade wall. For boat trips, choose the morning.
The Chergui: when the desert wins
A few times a year, the pattern flips. A hot, dry wind from the east, the Chergui, blows from the Sahara over the Atlas to the coast. It pushes the sea breeze back out to sea, and temperatures can jump from 26°C to more than 40°C in a day.
Chergui episodes are most common in summer and early autumn and usually last two or three days. The air is very dry and dusty. If one is forecast, plan beach time for early morning, stay in the shade in the afternoon, and drink a lot of water. You’ll see it in our 16-day forecast as a sudden spike in the daily highs with a wind from the east.
Rain: rare but real
Agadir gets about 220 mm of rain a year, almost all of it between November and March. That is around four rainy days a month in winter, usually from Atlantic fronts that pass in a day. Between them, skies are clear and the air is very clean.
When it does rain hard, it matters more than you might think. The ground is dry, and rivers like the one in Paradise Valley can rise very quickly. After heavy rain, give mountain gorges and valley roads a day or two.
Planning by season
- December to February: sunny days around 20°C, cold nights, big surf. Great for winter sun and surfers.
- March to May: warm, dry, green inland. The best season for day trips.
- June to August: warm, breezy, foggy mornings, warm sea, busy beaches.
- September to November: the sweet spot. Warm sea, fewer people, surf returns.
For the full detail, our month-by-month guides cover temperatures, sea conditions and what to pack for every month.