Merzouga in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Merzouga sees average daytime highs around 19°C and overnight lows near 7°C, with 14 mm of rain over about 3 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 2nd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 20°C in early December to 22°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Merzouga's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Merzouga's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 19°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 7°C
- Rainfall
- 14 mm
- 3 wet days
- Avg wind
- 11 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.1
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Merzouga in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 20°C in early December to 22°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Merzouga reaches about 19°C and drops to 7°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Merzouga
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Merzouga weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18° / 6° | 5 | 1.2 | 10.2 | 7.8 |
| Feb | 21° / 8° | 6 | 1 | 10.9 | 8.4 |
| Mar | 25° / 12° | 6 | 1.1 | 11.8 | 8.9 |
| Apr | 29° / 16° | 3 | 0.6 | 12.7 | 7.3 |
| May | 33° / 21° | 4 | 0.7 | 13.6 | 4.3 |
| Jun | 38° / 25° | 1 | 0.3 | 14 | 1.2 |
| Jul | 42° / 29° | 1 | 0.1 | 13.8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 41° / 28° | 2 | 0.5 | 13.1 | 0.1 |
| Sep | 36° / 24° | 7 | 1.1 | 12.2 | 2.8 |
| Oct | 30° / 18° | 8 | 1.2 | 11.2 | 6.7 |
| Nov | 23° / 11° | 6 | 1.3 | 10.4 | 8.7 |
| Dec | 19° / 7° | 4 | 0.9 | 10 | 8.0 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Merzouga gets around 14 mm of rain over 3 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 11 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 06 min in early December to 11 h 18 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Merzouga
None of Merzouga's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Merzouga sees seasonal dust haze (April–September), heaviest in July.
Is winter a good time to visit Merzouga?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is one of the better times to visit Merzouga for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Merzouga in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Merzouga sees daytime highs around 19°C and nights near 7°C. Worth packing: a warm layer and sun protection.
UV index in Merzouga in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Merzouga peaks around July 17 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 4 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 5 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 4 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | Moderate |
| Feb | 5 | Moderate |
| Mar | 8 | Very high |
| Apr | 9 | Very high |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 5 | Moderate |
| Dec | 4 | Moderate |
Air quality in Merzouga in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Merzouga is worst in April — around 61 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.9× the cleanest month (December, 16 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 21 | 33 | 42 | 61 | 58 | 56 | 51 | 53 | 46 | 31 | 20 | 16 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | Moderate |
| Feb | 33 | Moderate |
| Mar | 42 | Poor |
| Apr | 61 | Unhealthy |
| May | 58 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 56 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 51 | Poor |
| Aug | 53 | Poor |
| Sep | 46 | Poor |
| Oct | 31 | Moderate |
| Nov | 20 | Moderate |
| Dec | 16 | Moderate |
Where is Merzouga?
Merzouga sits at 31.1°N, 4.0°W, 0 m above sea level, in Morocco. The nearest listed city is Moulay Ali Cherif, 31 km away.
Topography around Merzouga
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Merzouga.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Merzouga has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 116 m around an average of 706 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 242 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 703 m.
The land around Merzouga is covered by bare terrain (97%) within 3 km, bare terrain (100%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (99%) within 80 km.
Morocco travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / E
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 42% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $4,672
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.6 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 80%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 1.7
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 17
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 492
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Merzouga (31.0994°, -4.0134°, elevation 0 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.