A searing heatwave that swept through Morocco between June 27 and 30 was caused by a meteorological event known as a “heat dome,” according to the General Directorate of Meteorology.
The phenomenon triggered record-high temperatures in several cities, pushing thermometers far beyond seasonal norms.
The DGM explained that a heat dome occurs when a high-pressure system stalls in the upper atmosphere, trapping hot air close to the surface for several days.
This atmospheric “lid” prevents heat from escaping, creating an intense and prolonged period of sweltering weather, often extending into nighttime and leaving little relief even after sunset.
While heat domes are a well-documented natural occurrence, the DGM emphasized that climate change is intensifying their frequency and severity
Rising global temperatures and shifting wind patterns have made such extreme events more common across North Africa and Southern Europe.
During the late June heatwave, several parts of Morocco recorded temperature spikes exceeding seasonal averages by 10 to 15°C. This anomaly was attributed to the expansion of the Saharan thermal depression into central and southern Morocco, facilitating the influx of hot, dry air in a localized phenomenon known as the “chergui.”
As a result, multiple cities shattered historic temperature records.
These records mirror a broader heat trend across the region, with parts of Spain, France, and Portugal experiencing similarly abnormal temperatures. The DGM warned that such extremes will likely become more frequent as global warming accelerates, underscoring the urgent need for climate adaptation strategies.
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