Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology has issued a new orange-level weather alert warning of extreme heat, strong winds and localized sandstorms across large parts of the country this week.
The weather agency said temperatures of between 38 and 41 degrees Celsius are expected from Monday through Wednesday in the provinces of Sidi Kacem, Sidi Slimane, Khénifra, Fez, Moulay Yacoub, Taounate, Ouazzane, Khouribga, Sidi Bennour, Essaouira, Khemisset, Meknes, Safi, Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane and Inezgane-Aït Melloul.
Higher temperatures ranging from 41 to 44 degrees Celsius are forecast during the same period in the provinces of El Kelâa des Sraghna, Rehamna, Youssoufia, Beni Mellal, Fquih Ben Salah, Oued Eddahab, Boujdour, Assa-Zag, Es-Semara, Tata, Taroudant, Aousserd, Settat, Chichaoua, Marrakech, Zagora and Errachidia.
Temperatures between 39 and 43 degrees Celsius are also expected Monday and Tuesday in Chtouka Aït Baha, Tiznit, Sidi Ifni, Guelmim and Tan-Tan, while Tarfaya and Laayoune are expected to experience similar conditions on Tuesday.
The agency also warned of strong winds of 75 to 80 kilometers per hour, accompanied by localized sandstorms, in the provinces of Aousserd, Oued Eddahab, Boujdour, Laayoune and Es-Semara. The warning is in effect from 10:35 a.m. Monday until 11 p.m. Tuesday.
Houcine Youabed, head of communications at Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology, said the country will experience an intense heatwave throughout the week, particularly across inland and southern regions.
He attributed the weather conditions to the movement of hot, dry air masses from the Sahara Desert, combined with a persistent high-pressure system in the upper atmosphere.
Youabed said the heatwave is primarily driven by the expansion of the Saharan thermal low, allowing the flow of hot, dry winds locally known as “Chergui.” He added that the upper-level high-pressure system acts like a lid, trapping hot air and limiting the influence of cooler Atlantic air currents.
As a result, temperatures are expected to remain between 3 and 10 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages, with the heatwave forecast to peak on Thursday and Friday.
Maximum temperatures of between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius are expected in several inland and southern regions, particularly in the Souss region, southeastern Morocco, the southern provinces and inland plains including Tadla, Rehamna, Saïss and the interior of Chaouia.
Meanwhile, coastal areas are expected to experience low clouds during the night and early morning, with patches of fog or light localized drizzle. Afternoon conditions could bring unstable cumulonimbus clouds over the Atlas Mountains, the Oriental region and southeastern Morocco, producing localized thunderstorms that may be accompanied by strong wind gusts.
Relatively strong winds are also forecast across the Tangier region, the Atlas Mountains, central Atlantic coasts, the Oriental region, southeastern Morocco and the southern provinces, with localized blowing dust possible in desert areas.
The meteorology official urged the public to take precautions against extreme heat, particularly during the hottest hours of the day, and to closely follow official weather forecasts and warning bulletins as the hot conditions are expected to persist throughout the week.
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