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Weather in Tangier, Morocco: The Complete Month-by-Month Guide

Weather in Tangier - panoramic view of the Kasbah, medina, and bay from above with sunny sky and palm trees in the foreground

Tangier has a personality all its own when it comes to weather, and it’s largely thanks to its location. Sitting right at the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea, the city gets a climate that’s noticeably milder and breezier than Morocco’s inland cities. While Marrakech is baking in 40°C heat in summer, Tangier is often sitting comfortably in the high 20s with a steady sea breeze taking the edge off. That same coastal position also means more rain in winter than you’ll find further south, along with wind patterns strong enough to have shaped the city’s history and its reputation among sailors for centuries.

This guide goes deeper than a simple monthly temperature list. We’ll cover sea temperatures, rainfall, wind, UV exposure, the best months for a ferry crossing to Spain, and how Tangier’s weather compares to the rest of Morocco, so you can plan a visit that actually matches the season you’re traveling in.

Table of Contents about weather in Tangier

Tangier Weather Overview

Tangier has a Mediterranean climate, meaning mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers, but its position directly on the Strait of Gibraltar adds a layer that inland Mediterranean cities don’t have: near-constant wind. Annual rainfall runs around 600-700mm, concentrated almost entirely between October and April, while May through September stays largely dry. Average annual temperature sits around 17-18°C, but the real story is in the swing between seasons and, just as importantly, between day and night, since coastal humidity and breeze change how a given temperature actually feels.

Tangier Weather Month by Month

January: Highs around 16-17°C, lows near 8-9°C. This is Tangier’s coolest and one of its wettest months, with rain falling on roughly 10-11 days and around 100mm total. Humidity sits high, around 80%, and the sea stays cold, generally 15-16°C.

February: Similar to January, highs of 17-18°C, lows around 9°C, with slightly less rain, roughly 95-100mm. Days are noticeably lengthening, and this month is often cited as one of the best-value times to visit thanks to low prices and thin crowds.

March: Highs climb to 19°C, lows around 10-11°C. Rain starts tapering off compared to the winter peak, and this is generally when Tangier starts feeling comfortable for extended outdoor sightseeing again.

April: Highs around 20-21°C, lows near 12°C. Rain drops further, and this is widely considered one of the best months of the year here, comfortable temperatures, manageable crowds, and a sea that’s still too cold for most swimmers but pleasant to look at.

May: Highs of 23-24°C, lows around 14-15°C. Rain is minimal, the wind is present but not overwhelming, and this month works particularly well for combining sightseeing with a ferry crossing to Spain, since conditions on the strait tend to be calmer than in peak summer.

June: Highs reach 26-27°C, lows around 17-18°C. Summer is properly underway, though Tangier’s coastal breeze keeps it noticeably more comfortable than inland cities experiencing much higher temperatures at the same time.

July: Highs of 28-29°C, lows around 19-20°C, with essentially no rain, often just 1-3mm for the entire month. Sea temperatures reach a pleasant 22-23°C, making this genuinely one of the better months for beach time.

August: The warmest month, highs around 29-30°C, lows near 20-21°C. Sea temperature peaks around 23°C. This is also Tangier’s busiest month, with strong domestic tourism from Moroccan vacationers alongside international visitors.

September: Highs stay warm at 26-27°C, lows around 18°C, with rain still minimal, generally under 20mm. Many travelers consider this the best trade-off month, still warm enough for the beach, but with noticeably thinner crowds than August.

October: Highs drop to 23-24°C, lows around 15-16°C, and rain picks back up, often 60-70mm. Sea temperature holds around 20°C, still swimmable for those comfortable with slightly cooler water.

November: Highs around 19-20°C, lows near 12°C, and this is typically Tangier’s wettest month, with rainfall often exceeding 130mm across 12+ rainy days.

December: Highs of 17-18°C, lows around 9-10°C, with rainfall close to November’s level, generally 100-130mm. Along with January, this is the coolest, wettest stretch of the year.

Sea Temperature in Tangier by Season

Because Tangier sits where two seas meet, water temperature is worth understanding separately from air temperature. The coldest sea temperatures, around 15-16°C, occur in February and March, genuinely cold enough that swimming isn’t comfortable for most people without a wetsuit. Temperatures rise steadily through spring, reaching swimmable territory by June, and peak at around 22-23°C in July and August, the only months most travelers would consider a proper swim without hesitation. By October, the sea cools back to around 20°C, still tolerable for confident swimmers, before dropping again through the winter months.

Wind in Tangier: What to Expect

Wind is one of the defining features of Tangier’s climate, a direct result of sitting on the Strait of Gibraltar, where Atlantic and Mediterranean air masses funnel through a relatively narrow gap. Afternoons tend to be windier than mornings throughout the year, and this effect is strongest in summer, when the temperature difference between the two seas pulls stronger breezes through the strait. This wind is actually a major reason Tangier feels cooler than its air temperature alone would suggest, and it’s also why layering with a light windbreaker or scarf is worth packing even in the warmer months, particularly if you’re planning time along the Corniche or up at Cap Spartel.

UV Exposure and Sun Strength

UV index in Tangier is lowest in the winter months, generally rated low to moderate in December and January, and climbs to its peak through the summer, when the index regularly reaches high to very high levels, particularly around midday. Even with the coastal breeze keeping air temperature feeling comfortable, sun exposure in summer can still lead to sunburn faster than people expect. Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat are worth packing regardless of season, especially if your plans include beach time or a day trip out to Cap Spartel.

Best Time to Visit Tangier Based on Weather

For most travelers, April, May, June, September, and October offer the best overall balance of warm, comfortable temperatures, manageable rainfall, and reasonable crowd levels. Within that stretch, April and May stand out for sightseeing and city walking without summer’s heat or crowds, while June and September offer a strong mix of warm weather and workable beach conditions. Peak summer, July and August, brings the warmest, most reliably dry weather and the best sea temperatures, but also the largest crowds and highest prices. Winter, November through February, is Tangier’s rainiest, coolest stretch, better suited to travelers prioritizing low prices and quiet streets over sunshine.

Best Time for a Ferry Crossing to Spain

Since Tangier is one of the most popular crossing points to Spain, weather conditions on the Strait of Gibraltar are worth factoring into your travel dates if a ferry is part of your plan. Spring and early autumn, particularly April, May, September, and early October, tend to bring calmer sea conditions than the height of summer, when strong afternoon winds can occasionally affect crossing comfort or, less commonly, cause delays. Booking a morning crossing, when winds are generally lighter, is a smart habit regardless of the season.

Tangier Weather vs the Rest of Morocco

Tangier’s coastal, wind-moderated climate sets it apart clearly from Morocco’s interior. Marrakech and Fes see far more extreme summer heat, often 10-15°C hotter than Tangier at the same time of year, since they sit inland without the ocean’s cooling effect. The Sahara near Merzouga swings even further, with daytime desert heat in summer becoming genuinely intense while Tangier stays comfortably warm. In winter, the pattern partly reverses: Tangier sees considerably more rain than the desert or Marrakech, thanks to its exposure to Atlantic winter storm systems, while nights in the desert can actually drop colder than a Tangier winter night despite the desert’s hot days.

This contrast is worth keeping in mind if your Morocco itinerary spans multiple regions, since packing for a trip that includes Tangier alongside Marrakech or a Sahara excursion means preparing for a genuinely wider range of conditions than a single-city trip would require.

What to Pack for Tangier's Climate

  • A light jacket or windbreaker, useful year-round given how consistently breezy the city is, even in summer
  • Layers for temperature swings, since mornings and evenings run noticeably cooler than midday, especially outside summer
  • A rain layer for visits between October and April, when rain is genuinely likely at some point during a multi-day stay
  • Sunscreen and sunglasses, given how quickly UV exposure adds up despite the cooling sea breeze
  • A swimsuit for June through September, when sea temperatures actually make swimming comfortable
  • Comfortable, wind-resistant footwear for walks along the Corniche or up to Cap Spartel, where the wind is often stronger than in the city center

How Tangier's Weather Affects a Desert Excursion

If your Morocco trip starts in Tangier and continues toward the Sahara, it’s worth planning around the fact that you’re moving between two genuinely different climates. Tangier’s mild, breezy coastal air gives no real indication of how much warmer and drier conditions become once you head south through Fes and the Middle Atlas toward the desert. Packing layers that work for both a cool, windy Tangier morning and a warm, dry Sahara afternoon makes the transition far more comfortable.

If a desert excursion is part of your plans starting from the north, our Tangier desert tours are built around exactly this kind of multi-region route. For comparison, Fes desert tours, Marrakech desert tours, and Ouarzazate desert tours offer shorter routes from further south. Our full Morocco desert tours page breaks down every option by starting city and trip length.

Daylight Hours and Sunset Times Throughout the Year

Daylight in Tangier shifts noticeably between seasons, which affects how much time you actually get for sightseeing each day. Winter days are shortest around December and January, with roughly 9-10 hours of daylight and sunset arriving as early as 6pm. By contrast, summer days stretch out considerably, with June and July offering close to 14-15 hours of daylight and sunset lingering past 9pm. This matters more than people expect when planning a day trip to Chefchaouen or Cap Spartel, since a winter visit gives you a noticeably shorter window to fit everything in before the light fades, while a summer trip leaves plenty of extra evening light for a sunset walk along the Corniche.

Tangier vs Chefchaouen and Tetouan: Weather Differences Nearby

Since Chefchaouen and Tetouan both sit within a couple of hours of Tangier and often get combined into the same trip, it’s worth knowing how their weather actually differs. Chefchaouen, tucked into the Rif Mountains at a higher elevation, runs noticeably cooler than Tangier year-round, particularly at night, and sees more rainfall in winter thanks to its mountain position catching more moisture off the Atlantic. Tetouan sits closer to sea level and tracks fairly close to Tangier’s climate, though it’s slightly less windy given it’s a bit further from the direct funnel of the strait. If your route includes all three, packing an extra warm layer for Chefchaouen evenings is worth doing even if Tangier itself feels mild that day.

How the Seasons Affect Local Life and Festivals in Tangier

Weather genuinely shapes the rhythm of daily life in Tangier more than in some of Morocco’s inland cities, simply because the city’s identity is so tied to its coastline. Summer evenings bring crowds out to the Corniche for the cooler sea breeze after a warm day, cafés extend their outdoor seating well into the night, and the beaches see their busiest stretch of the year. Winter shifts things indoors, with life concentrated more around covered cafés and the medina’s sheltered alleys during the rainier stretches between November and February. Ramadan, when it falls during the warmer months, brings its own rhythm on top of the seasonal one, with the cooler evening sea breeze making iftar gatherings along the coast especially pleasant compared to the same evening inland.

Climate Trends: Is Tangier Getting Warmer?

Like much of the Mediterranean region, Tangier’s long-term climate records show a gradual warming trend over the past several decades, with average annual temperatures rising by roughly one to one and a half degrees Celsius compared to the mid-20th century. Rainfall patterns have also shown some year-to-year variability, with certain recent years running drier than the historical average. This doesn’t change the practical advice for travelers much, the seasonal pattern of wet winters and dry summers still holds, but it’s part of why checking a closer-to-date forecast rather than relying purely on long-term averages is worth doing if your trip falls near the edge of a season.

Best Season for Photography in Tangier

Light quality in Tangier shifts with the seasons in ways worth knowing if photography is part of why you’re visiting. Spring, particularly April and May, offers some of the clearest air of the year, since rain has washed dust out of the atmosphere but the summer haze hasn’t built up yet, making for crisp, vivid shots of the strait and the medina’s whitewashed walls. Winter light, especially after a rain shower, produces dramatic skies over the Kasbah and the port that are hard to get any other time of year. Summer’s stronger, more direct sun works well for the bright, high-contrast look of the medina at midday, but golden hour in the hour before sunset remains the most reliably beautiful light for the Corniche and Cap Spartel year-round, when the sun sets directly out over the Atlantic.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tangier Weather

What is the hottest month in Tangier?

August is the warmest month, with highs typically reaching 29-30°C, though the coastal breeze keeps it noticeably more comfortable than Morocco’s inland cities at the same time of year.

January is the coldest month, with highs around 16-17°C and lows dropping to 8-9°C.

Tangier sees a fair amount of rain, particularly between November and February, when monthly totals often exceed 100mm. Summers, from June through September, stay largely dry.

Sea temperatures become comfortable for most swimmers from June through September, peaking around 22-23°C in July and August.

In summer, yes, noticeably. Tangier’s coastal breeze keeps it cooler than inland Marrakech during the hottest months. In winter, the two cities are closer in temperature, though Tangier typically sees more rain.

April, May, September, and October generally offer the best mix of comfortable temperatures, lower rainfall, and manageable crowds.

Yes, though it’s worth preparing for a significant climate shift, since temperatures rise substantially heading south through Fes and the Middle Atlas toward the desert.

Final Thoughts

Tangier’s weather is shaped almost entirely by its location at the meeting point of two seas, giving it milder summers, wetter winters, and considerably more wind than most other Moroccan cities. Understanding that rhythm, warm and dry from late spring through early autumn, cooler and wetter the rest of the year, makes it much easier to time a visit and pack appropriately, whether Tangier is your whole trip or just the starting point for a longer route across Morocco.

If you’re planning a trip that includes Tangier and want help figuring out timing, routes, or a desert excursion further south, feel free to get in touch with us. We help travelers plan around exactly this kind of regional weather shift and are happy to help you build a route that fits your travel dates.

Your Local Experts

I’m Lahcen Saadi from the Exploring Morocco Trips team. We are local guides dedicated to crafting authentic and exceptional Moroccan experiences.

Whether you are planning your first trip to Morocco and need expert advice, or you are a travel professional looking to collaborate on unique itineraries, we are ready to help.

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