Plate V · Between Essaouira and Agadir
Imsouane
Short answer
Best months for Imsouane (30.84° N · 9.82° W) in the data: June (40% of days ≥ 12 kn, mean 11.1 kn), May (34%), April (31%). Calmest: December (7%). Across the year an average of 20% of days reach 12 knots. In the best months the dominant wind is from the north-west. Offshore sea temperature ranges from 16.9 to 20.6 °C depending on the month.
The spot
Imsouane is a fishing village on the coast between Essaouira and Agadir, known for a long right-hand point break called “The Bay”. It is first of all a surf destination.
The wind data is light: the best month, June, has a daytime mean of 11.1 kn and 40 % of days reaching 12 kn, and from July the numbers drop quickly. Plan a kite trip elsewhere and come here for the waves.
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, Imsouane
| Month | Avg wind (kn) | Days ≥ 12 kn | Days ≥ 15 kn | Directions (hours ≥ 8 kn) | Air max (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.1 | 16% | 6% | N 60 · NW 24 · S 9 | 20.5 |
| Feb | 8.2 | 19% | 9% | N 55 · NW 27 · S 7 | 21.0 |
| Mar | 9.1 | 22% | 13% | N 47 · NW 39 · SW 6 | 21.6 |
| Apr | 10.1 | 31% | 15% | NW 57 · N 36 · SW 4 | 23.1 |
| May | 10.4 | 34% | 17% | NW 52 · N 44 · SW 3 | 25.4 |
| Jun | 11.1 | 40% | 18% | NW 60 · N 38 · SW 1 | 26.7 |
| Jul | 9.8 | 22% | 7% | N 62 · NW 38 · NE 0 | 30.8 |
| Aug | 9.1 | 18% | 4% | N 64 · NW 35 · NE 1 | 30.7 |
| Sep | 8.2 | 11% | 4% | N 51 · NW 49 · W 0 | 27.7 |
| Oct | 7.2 | 11% | 4% | N 47 · NW 32 · S 11 | 26.3 |
| Nov | 7.1 | 10% | 6% | N 51 · NW 23 · S 14 | 23.5 |
| Dec | 5.9 | 7% | 2% | N 45 · NW 25 · S 13 | 21.6 |
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 Imsouane (30.84° N · 9.85° W)
| Month | Sea temp. (°C) | Offshore waves (m) | Period (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18.1 | 1.9 | 11.2 |
| Feb | 17.0 | 2.0 | 11.4 |
| Mar | 16.9 | 2.5 | 11.2 |
| Apr | 18.0 | 2.0 | 9.0 |
| May | 17.7 | 1.8 | 7.8 |
| Jun | 19.1 | 1.6 | 7.2 |
| Jul | 19.3 | 1.7 | 6.7 |
| Aug | 20.1 | 1.7 | 7.1 |
| Sep | 20.0 | 1.6 | 8.3 |
| Oct | 20.6 | 1.8 | 9.9 |
| Nov | 19.2 | 2.0 | 11.1 |
| Dec | 18.5 | 1.8 | 10.9 |