Morocco Braces for More Rain, Thunderstorms, and Snow
Morocco’s weather service, the Direction Générale de la Météorologie, has issued a forecast predicting continued rainfall and thunderstorms across several regions. This wet weather is expected to persist throughout Friday, impacting areas from Tangier and the Loukkos region down to the Gharb, the Rif mountains, and the coastal plains north of El Jadida. Even the High Atlas Mountains will experience this unsettled weather. Some central regions can also anticipate further rainfall.
This recent bout of wet weather comes as a welcome relief to many parts of Morocco, which, like much of North Africa, has been experiencing increasing drought conditions in recent years. Water scarcity is a growing concern, impacting agriculture and access to clean drinking water. [Link to a relevant article or resource about drought in Morocco, e.g., World Bank report, research paper, news article]. While this rainfall is a positive development, experts caution that consistent, long-term precipitation is needed to alleviate the ongoing drought.
The forecast also indicates scattered showers along the Mediterranean coast and in the northeast. Higher elevations in the Rif and the High and Middle Atlas Mountains, above 1500 meters, are expected to receive snowfall. This snowfall, while potentially disruptive to travel, contributes to the crucial snowpack that melts and feeds rivers and reservoirs during the drier months.
Temperatures will remain relatively cool, with frost and icy conditions expected overnight in the Atlas Mountains and the Rif. Strong winds are also anticipated across northern and central regions, including the Rif, Atlas Mountains, southeastern areas, the eastern region, and the northern parts of the Sahara. Localized dust storms are possible in the east and south of the country.
Overnight lows will range from a chilly -3°C to 2°C in the High Atlas, 4°C to 10°C in the Rif, eastern region, southeastern slopes, and plains west of the Atlas, and a milder 10°C to 17°C in the remaining parts of the country. Daytime temperatures are expected to be slightly lower than recent days.
Sea conditions will be rough, ranging from slightly choppy to high waves along the Mediterranean coast. The Strait of Gibraltar will experience high to very high waves. North of Tan-Tan, conditions will be rough to very rough, while between Tarfaya and Laayoune, the sea will be rough, calming down later. These conditions could impact maritime activities and coastal communities. [Potentially link to a resource about maritime safety or coastal erosion].
Keywords: Morocco, weather forecast, rain, thunderstorms, snow, High Atlas Mountains, Rif Mountains, Tangier, temperature, wind, sea conditions, drought, water scarcity, North Africa.
