Morocco Rainfall by City & Region: Complete Data Guide
Morocco's rainfall is among the most unevenly distributed in the Mediterranean basin. The northwest corner of the country receives over 800 mm of rain per year, while parts of the Sahara interior record less than 50 mm annually — a 16-to-1 ratio across roughly 600 km of latitude.
This guide breaks down average monthly precipitation for 8 major Moroccan cities, drawn from WorldClim historical normals (1991–2020) and supplemented by DGM (Direction de la Météorologie Générale) station records.
The data below represents 30-year monthly averages, not predictions for any single year. Actual rainfall in Morocco varies significantly from year to year — the coefficient of variation exceeds 40% in many inland stations.
Monthly Rainfall Table: 8 Moroccan Cities
All values in millimeters (mm) of total monthly precipitation.
| Month | Tangier | Rabat | Casablanca | Fes | Marrakech | Agadir | Oujda | Errachidia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 110 | 78 | 72 | 58 | 29 | 42 | 34 | 8 |
| Feb | 95 | 74 | 67 | 52 | 25 | 39 | 28 | 6 |
| Mar | 72 | 60 | 55 | 55 | 28 | 35 | 33 | 7 |
| Apr | 55 | 46 | 41 | 46 | 23 | 22 | 28 | 6 |
| May | 32 | 24 | 21 | 34 | 14 | 8 | 19 | 3 |
| Jun | 7 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Jul | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Aug | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Sep | 16 | 13 | 12 | 22 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 5 |
| Oct | 55 | 50 | 48 | 42 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 8 |
| Nov | 100 | 82 | 76 | 56 | 30 | 40 | 32 | 7 |
| Dec | 118 | 85 | 78 | 62 | 31 | 45 | 36 | 9 |
| Annual | 665 | 520 | 476 | 449 | 221 | 262 | 263 | 63 |
The figures above are useful for trip planning — but check live conditions before you travel. A single storm can deliver a month's worth of rain in 24 hours, especially in the Rif and Atlas foothills.
Regional Rainfall Patterns
The Wet Northwest: Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca
The coastal band from Tangier to Casablanca benefits from Atlantic weather systems carried eastward by the prevailing westerlies. Tangier is Morocco's wettest major city with 665 mm/year, owing to its position at the Strait of Gibraltar where moist Mediterranean and Atlantic air masses converge.
October through March accounts for 85–90% of annual rainfall in this zone. Summers are almost entirely dry — June, July and August together contribute fewer than 10 mm in Casablanca.
The Continental Interior: Fes, Marrakech, Oujda
Moving inland, the Atlas ranges create a rain shadow effect that drastically reduces precipitation. Fes, sitting in the Saïss plain between the Rif and Middle Atlas, still receives a respectable 449 mm/year thanks to orographic lift from both mountain chains.
Marrakech, sheltered behind the High Atlas to the west, drops to 221 mm/year. Oujda, in the eastern pre-Saharan zone, records a similar 263 mm but with a slightly different seasonal profile — spring storms from the Mediterranean contribute more to its annual total.
The Semi-Arid South: Agadir, Errachidia
Agadir receives 262 mm/year, mostly from October–March Atlantic fronts that manage to penetrate inland along the Souss valley. Errachidia, on the southern flank of the High Atlas, records just 63 mm/year — placing it firmly in the semi-arid category.
For an overview of how this rainfall translates into water reserves across the country, see our dam levels monitoring page.
The Dry Season: June to September
Morocco's summer dry season is remarkably consistent. Across all 8 cities in the table, July is the driest month without exception. Casablanca averages just 1 mm, Agadir essentially zero, and even Tangier only 2 mm.
Flash floods can still occur during summer. Intense convective storms — sometimes lasting under an hour — can trigger dangerous wadi surges in arid regions. See our flash flood safety guide for practical precautions.
Seasonal Distribution by City
What percentage of each city's annual rain falls in each season:
| City | Winter (DJF) | Spring (MAM) | Summer (JJA) | Autumn (SON) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tangier | 47% | 24% | 2% | 26% |
| Rabat | 46% | 25% | 2% | 27% |
| Casablanca | 45% | 24% | 1% | 29% |
| Fes | 38% | 30% | 4% | 27% |
| Marrakech | 38% | 29% | 4% | 29% |
| Agadir | 48% | 25% | 1% | 26% |
| Oujda | 37% | 30% | 5% | 27% |
| Errachidia | 37% | 26% | 6% | 31% |
The key takeaway: autumn (October–November) is nearly as wet as winter in most cities. The September–November period accounts for roughly a quarter of annual precipitation everywhere, driven by the return of Atlantic low-pressure systems after the summer high.
Understanding Morocco's Rainfall Geography
Three geographic factors explain the extreme variation:
- Latitude and distance from the Atlantic — Moisture availability decreases sharply moving south and east
- Atlas Mountain barriers — The High Atlas, reaching 4,167 m at Toubkal, forces Atlantic air upward, wringing out rain on its western slopes and creating a dry zone to the east (see Atlas Mountains: Morocco's Climate Engine)
- Saharan influence — The Sahara generates hot, dry air that suppresses rainfall in the south, particularly from April to September. For more on Saharan weather patterns, see our Sahara desert weather guide.
Morocco has experienced a measurable decline in rainfall over the past four decades. DGM data shows a 20–30% reduction in annual totals across most stations since the 1980s, consistent with broader Maghreb drying trends documented by IPCC Working Group I. For a deeper analysis of how climate change is affecting Morocco's water resources, see Running Dry: Climate Change and Morocco's Water Future.
Rainfall and Water Supply
Morocco stores surface water in over 140 large dams with a combined capacity of approximately 18 billion cubic meters. In a typical wet year, these dams fill to 60–80% of capacity. But consecutive dry years — like the 2021–2023 sequence — can push national storage below 40%.
For the current dam filling status, visit our interactive dam levels dashboard. For drought monitoring data including the Standardized Precipitation Index, see the drought monitoring page.
Key Takeaways
- Tangier receives the most rain (665 mm/year), Errachidia the least (63 mm/year)
- October–March delivers 80–90% of annual rainfall at all locations
- July is the driest month everywhere — less than 4 mm in every city
- Autumn is nearly as wet as winter at most stations
- The Atlas Mountains are the primary control on where rain falls and where it doesn't
- For live rainfall data, check the weather dashboard for your city
Sources
- WorldClim 2.1 — Historical monthly precipitation normals (1970–2000 baseline, updated with 1991–2020 station data)
- DGM (Direction de la Météorologie Générale du Maroc) — Station records and annual climatological bulletins
- IPCC AR6, Working Group I — Chapter 12: Mediterranean region precipitation trends
- [ABHOER] (https://www.abhoer.ma/) — Water basin agency dam storage statistics
