Today's weather for Agadir, Morocco8th Nov 2009 00:00

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Weather Overview for Agadir

Agadir is a city located in southwest Morocco, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, in close proximity to the foot of the Atlas Mountains. Agadir lies just north of the mouth of the Sousse River and is home to an amazingly white sandy beach which is lined with eucalyptus, thyme and tamarind trees and protected from the wind and waves of the ocean by Ghir Cape.

 The climate in Agadir is Mediterranean. This climate type is characterized by long hot summers and mild, rainy winters. However, summers are milder, winters much, much warmer and rainfall a bit lower in Agadir than in European Mediterranean resorts; most would consider this a positive thing. These conditions are due to its location in Africa and its exposure to the North Atlantic Ocean. As you head inland from the coast the climate becomes more extreme.

Generally Morocco records the majority of its precipitations in the coastal areas from November to March. The entirety of the country is mostly dry with high temperatures in summer with a much cooler climate at higher altitudes in the mountains.

Summer, between May and November, is hot and dry with average highs peaking at 26°C from July till September. Rainfall is barely worth mentioning but picks up slightly in October. Showers are brief and infrequent. The Atlantic is much cooler than the Mediterranean and only gets up to a peak water temperature of 21°C in August and September. It is still warm enough for swimming for the whole season and the cool waters provide a break from the heat. Temperatures nearing the 40s can sometimes be blown in by wind from the Sahara. These heat waves can also be accompanied by high wind speeds and even sand storms.

Winter, from December till April, is warm with cold nights and the odd shower. The average high temperature generally doesn’t fall below 20°C but as there is such low humidity night times get very cool, usually below 10°C. January is the coolest month with an average high of 20°C and an average low of 8°C. It can even drop down to freezing. Rainfall is at its peak at the start of the season, but rainfall levels are still only at 52 mm for December which is similar to any month in England – in Agadir this small amount of rain is not dragged out in endless drizzle but dealt with efficiently in short, heavy showers. Sunshine levels remain good but if you’re trying to sunbathe you may find it only gets quite hot enough in the middle of the day, and outdoor pools often don’t heat up properly after the chilly nights.

Agadir is unlike other Moroccan cities, a result of the 1960 earthquake which effectively destroyed the entirety of the city. It was the most destructive and deadliest earthquake in the history of Morocco measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale, killing one third of the Agadir’s population and leaving 35,000 people homeless. Two days after the earthquake, which occurred on the evening of February 29th, the whole city was evacuated to prevent the spread of disease. The city was then completely rebuilt 3km south of its original location.

Some of the world’s most famous architects were involved in this rebuild. Agadir is now a modern city of luxury hotels, golf courses and high-rises; if you are in search of an authentic Moroccan town, Agadir is certainly not the place to visit. Agadir is a white city, home to beautiful gardens, sculptural buildings, an ultramodern airport, white beaches and a mass tourism.

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