Environment: Coastal city of Agadir is hottest place ever in Morocco : 120F or 50.4C

Posted On 13 August 2023

Number of times this article was read : 1971

Temperatures in Morocco have for the first time on record topped 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit), the North African country’s meteorological service said Sunday amid a scorching heatwave. The meteorological station in the southern coastal city of Agadir recorded on Friday the new national record of 50.4C, said the General Directorate of Meteorology.

Morocco has experienced a series of heatwaves over the summer with record-breaking temperatures. The previous highest temperature, 49.9C in the Western Sahara city of Smara, was recorded on July 13, according to the weather service. “This heatwave is due to the influx of dry and hot air from the south, causing a significant rise in temperatures, surpassing the monthly average by five to 13 degrees,” the meterological authority said in a statement.

The heatwave has caused wildfires in recent days in northern Morocco near Tangier and further east in Taza province, damaging forests but resulting in no casualties, AFP journalists reported. July has been the hottest month ever recorded on Earth, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. It surpassed the previous record in July 2019 by 0.33C.

Last month in Morocco was ranked the fourth hottest July since 1961. Weather forecasts predict a slight drop in temperatures in the coming days across the northern parts of North Africa.

AFP
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The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.

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