Morocco Sea Temperature Guide: Atlantic and Mediterranean by Month
Morocco has more than 3,500 km of coastline — split between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. These two seas behave very differently in terms of temperature.
The temperatures below are multi-year averages from cabaigne.net, seatemperature.info and NOAA OISST. August values are revised and accurate per decennial data.
Sea Surface Temperature (°C) by Month
| Month | Tangier (Med.) | Rabat | Casablanca | Essaouira | Agadir | Nador (Med.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 15 |
| February | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
| March | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 15 |
| April | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 16 |
| May | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 |
| June | 20 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 |
| July | 23 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 24 |
| August | 24 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 25 |
| September | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 24 |
| October | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 |
| November | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 |
| December | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 15 |
Water above 20 °C is comfortable for swimming. Below 16 °C, most people find it uncomfortable.
Ranking of the 10 Coldest Coastal Cities in August (2026 revision)
The previous table only covers the 6 main cities. For reference, the full list includes the following cities, ranked from coldest to warmest in August — see the coldest sea in Morocco for full details:
| # | City | August temperature (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oualidia | 20.0 |
| 2 | Dakhla | 20.2 |
| 3 | Agadir | 20.8 |
| 4 | Essaouira | 21.4 |
| 5 | El Jadida | 22.9 |
| 6 | Casablanca | 23.2 |
| 7 | Rabat | 23.3 |
| 8 | Tangier | 23.5 |
| 9 | Al Hoceima | 23.7 |
| 10 | Nador | 24.7 |
Swimming Season by City
| City | Coast | Comfortable window | Peak temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oualidia | Atlantic (lagoon) | July to September | August (20 °C) |
| Dakhla | Atlantic | July to September | August (20.2 °C) |
| Nador | Mediterranean | June to September | August (24.7 °C) |
| Tangier | Mediterranean | mid-June to mid-September | August (23.5 °C) |
| Al Hoceima | Mediterranean | mid-June to mid-September | August (23.7 °C) |
| El Jadida | Atlantic | July to September | August (22.9 °C) |
| Casablanca | Atlantic | July to September | August (23.2 °C) |
| Agadir | Atlantic | July to September | August (20.8 °C) |
| Essaouira | Atlantic | August only | August (21.4 °C) |
The upwelling that cools the water also makes the Atlantic coast biologically productive — it's the same phenomenon that generates the Moroccan coastal fog.
Key Points
- Oualidia is the coldest spot in Morocco (20 °C average in August)
- Dakhla is the 2nd coldest (20.2 °C), despite being in the deep south
- Nador is the warmest city in summer (24.7 °C in August)
- Agadir is slightly colder than Essaouira (20.8 °C vs 21.4 °C) — contrary to popular belief
- July to September is the comfortable swimming window on the Atlantic
- The Canary Current keeps the Atlantic colder than the Mediterranean
- Check coastal conditions before heading to the beach
Sources
- cabaigne.net — 10-year seasonal averages of sea surface temperature in Moroccan cities
- seatemperature.info — composite data (satellite + coastal stations) over 10 years
- NOAA OISST v2.1 — sea surface temperature
- Copernicus Marine Service — SST reanalysis
- Direction Générale de la Météorologie — wind and SST bulletins
