Cities across Morocco have been sweltering under an intense heatwave that has shattered monthly temperature records, in some areas exceeding seasonal norms by as much as 20 degrees Celsius, the national meteorological service reported on Sunday.
Between Friday, June 27 and Saturday 28, the country experienced a particularly severe “chegui” heatwave, marked by its exceptional intensity and widespread geographical impact, the General Directorate of Meteorology (DGM) said in a report shared with AFP.
The heatwave, which has also affected parts of southern Europe across the Strait of Gibraltar, struck hardest in Morocco’s Atlantic plains and interior plateaus, the DGM noted.
In the coastal city of Casablanca, temperatures soared to 39.5°C, surpassing the previous June record of 38.6°C set in 2011. Larache, further north along the Atlantic coast, hit 43.8°C — just shy of a full degree above its previous record high from 2017.
Central Morocco was also severely affected. In Ben Guerir, thermometers reached 46.4°C, exceeding the 2022 record by more than a degree.
Overall, more than 17 regions recorded temperatures above 40°C. The DGM reported that coastal areas, including the normally temperate city of Essaouira, experienced temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above the June average.
Inland cities such as Marrakesh, Fez, Meknes and Beni Mellal endured sweltering conditions between 8°C and 15°C above normal. Even Tangier in the far north registered higher-than-average temperatures, albeit to a lesser extent.
The heat is expected to persist in the coming days, particularly in Morocco’s interior regions, due to the presence of a Saharan thermal depression — a high-pressure system that traps intense heat above the desert.
