Plate III · Marrakech-Safi region
Essaouira
Short answer
Best months for Essaouira (31.50° N · 9.77° W) in the data: July (75% of days ≥ 12 kn, mean 14.0 kn), August (64%), June (57%). Calmest: December (21%). Across the year an average of 44% of days reach 12 knots. In the best months the dominant wind is from the north. Offshore sea temperature ranges from 17.0 to 19.7 °C depending on the month.
The spot
Essaouira, historically Mogador, is a town on the Atlantic coast in the Marrakech-Safi region. Its medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2001 as “Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)”. The town is often nicknamed the “Wind City of Africa”.
A long sandy beach runs south of the medina and the port. The bay is partially shielded from wave action by the Mogador islands (Îles Purpuraires), a protected nature reserve where landing is not allowed. The Oued Ksob river mouth and the village of Diabat mark the south end of the bay.
From April to September most windy hours in the data come from the north (64–86 % depending on the month), with some north-east: the summer trade wind (alizé). In winter north-east dominates and some south-west wind appears with Atlantic fronts.
Wind, month by month
ERA5 reanalysis 2015–2024, wind at 10 m, daytime 11:00–18:00 Moroccan clock time of the period, ≈ 10:00–17:00 on today’s UTC+0 clock.
Monthly wind statistics, Essaouira
| Month | Avg wind (kn) | Days ≥ 12 kn | Days ≥ 15 kn | Directions (hours ≥ 8 kn) | Air max (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9.1 | 28% | 13% | NE 53 · N 29 · SW 11 | 19.3 |
| Feb | 10.2 | 34% | 18% | N 43 · NE 40 · SW 9 | 19.7 |
| Mar | 11.2 | 40% | 22% | N 51 · NE 26 · SW 13 | 20.3 |
| Apr | 11.6 | 47% | 27% | N 64 · NE 17 · SW 9 | 21.5 |
| May | 12.7 | 56% | 36% | N 71 · NE 14 · SW 6 | 23.2 |
| Jun | 12.8 | 57% | 37% | N 80 · NE 10 · NW 6 | 24.3 |
| Jul | 14.0 | 75% | 46% | N 86 · NE 12 · NW 1 | 26.6 |
| Aug | 13.0 | 64% | 35% | N 84 · NE 15 · NW 1 | 27.0 |
| Sep | 11.0 | 46% | 18% | N 77 · NE 18 · NW 2 | 25.5 |
| Oct | 9.1 | 28% | 11% | N 60 · NE 19 · SW 15 | 24.7 |
| Nov | 9.4 | 28% | 14% | N 41 · NE 38 · SW 15 | 22.3 |
| Dec | 8.0 | 21% | 11% | NE 48 · N 26 · SW 20 | 20.6 |
Directions: share (%) of daytime hours at 8 knots or more, for the three most frequent sectors. Air max: mean of daily daytime maximum air temperature.
The sea: temperature and offshore swell
Open-Meteo Marine API, monthly means 2022–2024 at the nearest offshore model point. These are not beach wave heights.
Sea off Essaouira (31.50° N · 9.80° W)
| Month | Sea temp. (°C) | Offshore waves (m) | Period (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17.3 | 1.9 | 11.1 |
| Feb | 17.0 | 2.1 | 11.3 |
| Mar | 17.0 | 2.5 | 11.1 |
| Apr | 17.7 | 1.9 | 8.9 |
| May | 17.5 | 1.7 | 7.8 |
| Jun | 18.9 | 1.5 | 7.3 |
| Jul | 18.1 | 1.6 | 6.5 |
| Aug | 18.5 | 1.7 | 6.9 |
| Sep | 19.0 | 1.5 | 8.3 |
| Oct | 19.7 | 1.8 | 9.8 |
| Nov | 19.0 | 2.0 | 11.0 |
| Dec | 17.9 | 1.9 | 10.7 |
The water stays cool all year, so a full wetsuit is advised (our recommendation: 4/3 mm in winter and spring, 3/2 mm in summer).