My wife, adult daughter (25) and I are considering a trip to Morocco, and the only time that works for our daughter is late July/early August, when temperatures, I see, average near 100 F. Daughter says, 'well, it is dry heat!'
Would we be crazy to go at that time? We live in northeastern US and are quite used to blistering summers with high humidity, but that doesn't mean I want that on vacation time.
Thanks!
It depends where you go. Morocco is very geographically and climatically diverse, everything from Sahara desert to high mountains to coastline.
We live in northeastern US and are quite used to blistering summers with high humidity, but that doesn't mean I want that on vacation time.
With all due respect, I think the definition of "blistering summers with high humidity" in the northeastern USA and Morocco could be quite different. You're talking about the Sahara, not New England.
Morocco is a wonderful destination with much to see (I've been there three times), but there's no way would I ever dream of going there in July or August. I'd pick some lovely, relatively cooler destination in northern Europe, and save Morocco for sometime when you can go in the relative moderate heat of the Spring or Fall.
If the daytime average is 100F, you're almost certainly going to experience much, much hotter temperatures mid-day. That kind of heat can be deadly (literally). If you do decide to embrace all that "dry heat" please take it seriously.
Google "when is the worst time to visit Morocco " and it will say July and August. Inland areas will rarely see daytime highs below 100°F. Desert areas will be much hotter. The heat and lack of humidity can be deadly. 'Mad dogs and Englishmen' immediately springs to mind.
Morocco is lovely December through March. There is no way I would be there in July and August. And it has been hotter than the historical temps in the past couple of years. Looking at the temps in Marrakesh from last summer it was peaking around 115F on some days. (The whole Mediterranean region is hotter now in the summer. I won't go to Rome in the summer.)
Not all hotels and restaurants are air conditioned, except for the more expensive hotels. If you only plan to go to Tangier and Rabat which are on the coast, maybe? But it will still be hot. But Marrakesh will be very hot.
My question is if you would normally travel to the desert in the summer here in the US? If so and you are familiar and comfortable with it, then fine. But if not, I don't recommend it.
I've been to Morocco twice, and both times it was in July/August. I'm going to slightly disagree with everyone else and say that I had a really great time, and the heat wasn't much of a problem. This was travelling in the major cities (Fes, Marrakech, Essouira, Ourzazate, and into the desert by Merzouga). There are just a few things to keep in mind- 1) you want to ensure the place you are staying has air conditioning, as you will need it; 2) ensure you are keeping yourself hydrated; 3) dress for hot weather but also respectful of local norms (so light clothing that also covers your legs etc). It is true that the heat is dryer. The only time I really struggled was trying to sleep in a place without air conditioning.
You aren't crazy! I did a 10-day private tour with my family and we had a fun time.
Your daughter is right, while it is very hot in July, it is a dry heat, especially in the southeast desert. It feels much less suffocating than the humidity in the Northeast. Plus, most hotels and restaurants have excellent air conditioning, so you will have plenty of places to cool off. You'll be just fine!
I would not go to Morocco (except the mountains) in the summer. You have many wonderful options more suitable to the season, so why set yourself up for such unpleasant temperatures?
According to the climate-summary chart in Wikipedia, Marrakech's record high temperature for July is 121.3F; for August it's 119.5F. While the average high temperatures for those months are 99.5F and 99.3F, respectively, they are based on a period between 1991 and 2020. I bet recent years have been hotter than suggested by those 30-year averages.
The website timeanddate.com provides actual, historical, day-by-day weather data going back about ten years for most destinations of tourist interest. I like to look at those real-world numbers and think about what it would be like to deal with them. Weather varies from year to year, so I check the most recent five years, using the pull-down box at the right, just above the graph. Use the Search box at the upper right to check out other locations.
Thank you everyone! All of the replies are helpful, and I appreciate the divergence of opinion here. I have shared all the responses with wife and daughter. Not sure yet what we'll do!
I lived in Saudi Arabia for 5 years, working for the US Army Corps of Engineers.
By 9am in the middle of the Summer it was 100 degrees.
We used to play tennis in the Summer starting at 7am and finish by 9.
A key to handling hot places like Morocco, Egypt and Arabia is to be sure to hydrate so. you avoid dehydration. Also, wear a large hat that covers you face as much as possible. Further, it is best to wear clothing that covers your skin, not shorts or t-shirts.
Wear loose fitting light clothing.
Also, get an early start on touring and take a long mid-day lunch (the Spanish do this).
I am from Georgia and lived in Arizona and Texas for a while, and am used to going to hot places. It is best to plan during cooler months, but if I had to go there in the Summer, I could do it.
Morocco wasn't that bad when we visited in early May, but it was hot.
The heat in Morocco is not the same as Northeastern US - trust me.
Does your daughter have Thanksgiving week off? I'd say November would be are more enjoyable time in my opinion.
I went in October and it was still hot during the day and cool at night in Marrakesh and delightful in the Sahara and up north towards Fez.
