Month by month: wind, waves and water in Essaouira
Everything in one table: long-term averages for Essaouira from Open-Meteo (ERA5 2015–2024 for wind and air, marine models 2022–2024 for waves and sea temperature). Use it to compare months, then check a live forecast before you go.
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| Month | Avg wind (kn) | Days ≥ 12 kn (%) | Days ≥ 15 kn (%) | Main direction | Morning 08–10 h (kn) | Afternoon 14–17 h (kn) | Offshore waves (m) | Wave period (s) | Sea (°C) | Air, daytime high (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9.1 | 28 | 13 | North-east (53%) | 7.6 | 10.1 | 1.9 | 11.1 | 17.3 | 19.3 |
| February | 10.2 | 34 | 18 | North (43%) | 8.4 | 11.2 | 2.1 | 11.3 | 17.0 | 19.7 |
| March | 11.2 | 40 | 22 | North (51%) | 9.3 | 12.1 | 2.5 | 11.1 | 17.0 | 20.3 |
| April | 11.6 | 47 | 27 | North (64%) | 9.4 | 12.6 | 1.9 | 8.9 | 17.7 | 21.5 |
| May | 12.7 | 56 | 36 | North (71%) | 10.5 | 13.6 | 1.7 | 7.8 | 17.5 | 23.2 |
| June | 12.8 | 57 | 37 | North (80%) | 10.6 | 13.7 | 1.5 | 7.3 | 18.9 | 24.3 |
| July | 14.0 | 75 | 46 | North (86%) | 12.2 | 14.7 | 1.6 | 6.5 | 18.1 | 26.6 |
| August | 13.0 | 64 | 35 | North (84%) | 11.2 | 13.7 | 1.7 | 6.9 | 18.5 | 27.0 |
| September | 11.0 | 46 | 18 | North (77%) | 9.0 | 11.9 | 1.5 | 8.3 | 19.0 | 25.5 |
| October | 9.1 | 28 | 11 | North (60%) | 7.3 | 9.8 | 1.8 | 9.8 | 19.7 | 24.7 |
| November | 9.4 | 28 | 14 | North (41%) | 7.7 | 10.2 | 2.0 | 11.0 | 19.0 | 22.3 |
| December | 8.0 | 21 | 11 | North-east (48%) | 6.8 | 8.8 | 1.9 | 10.7 | 17.9 | 20.6 |
How to read the table
- Avg wind: mean wind at 10 m between 11:00 and 18:00 Moroccan clock time of the period (≈ 10:00–17:00 on today's UTC+0 clock), in knots (kn).
- Days ≥ 12 kn / ≥ 15 kn: share of days whose daytime mean wind reached that speed. On this site, 12 kn is a rough marker of a usable wind day, for comparison only.
- Main direction: the most common direction among hours with at least 8 kn.
- Morning / afternoon: mean wind at 08–10 h and 14–17 h on today's clock (UTC+0), our own calculation from the same ERA5 data.
- Waves: offshore significant wave height (m) and mean period (s).
- Sea: sea surface temperature. Air: mean daily daytime high.
Caveats
- Model data (ERA5, a grid of roughly 25–30 km) smooths local thermal and coastal effects, so real beach winds are often stronger. Use it to compare months, not as a promise.
- Offshore model values (Open-Meteo Marine, 2022–2024). Wave height at the beach depends on the spot, the tide and the seabed.
- Averages hide variety: a windy month still has calm days, and the other way round.
- Tides matter for surf and for where you can ride, and they're not in this table: check a local tide table.
Sources
- Open-Meteo Historical Weather API: ERA5 reanalysis, Essaouira, 2015–2024 (wind, air temperature)
- Our calculation of morning (08–10 h) vs afternoon (14–17 h) wind, on today's UTC+0 clock, from the same ERA5 series
- Open-Meteo Marine API: Essaouira and Sidi Kaouki offshore cells, 2022–2024 (waves, sea temperature)
- Copernicus Climate Data Store: ERA5 hourly data on single levels
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