Ouarzazate weather in December
December in Ouarzazate: cool, dry — a great time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#7 of 12 months in Ouarzazate · #494 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 79/100 (tier B)
- Days
- 19°C
- Nights
- 3°C
- Wet days
- 2
- Sun
- 8.9 h
- Humidity
- 46%
- Daylight
- 10 h

Traveller notes on Ouarzazate in December
Notes from nearby Marrakesh (132 km away)
Ouarzazate doesn't have its own notes for December yet — these are about Marrakesh, close enough to share the season.
The December question on this board is never the daytime, it is the night and the building. Regulars warn that many riads have no heating at all, so the coldest hours are the ones spent indoors - ask before booking, and reversible air conditioning beats waiting for somebody to come and light a fire. Our row shows why: 22C by day against only 7.8C at night, and the feels-like columns widen the gap further, 19C against 5C. Days can be mild enough for a t-shirt or cold enough for a jacket, and a wet spell is possible at 29.3mm across 5.1 days. Layers, a waterproof, and something warm to sleep in. The record: humidity 67 percent, 8.6 hours of sun and AQI 39.
Other months in Ouarzazate
Regulars are specific this month can swing well outside its own stated averages, one traveler's actual trip recording a high of 32C and a low of 6C against a typical 24C/10C range, with no rain encountered at all. Our row backs that mild, genuinely dry read, 16.1C over 8.6C nights feeling 5C, with rain minimal at 7.2mm across just 1.7 days and humidity low at 38.4 percent. Regulars are consistent this carries elevated sandstorm risk locally, warm pleasant daytime highs paired with desert nights that can drop close to freezing even when the afternoon felt genuinely comfortable. The record: 10.9 hours of sun, an 18.8 kph wind and AQI 62.
Ouarzazate forum threads describe April as warm but not scorching by day, with genuinely cold nights, especially heading toward the mountains - the classic desert-edge day/night swing. Posters noted temperatures typically run cooler at the end of April than by mid-May, and the standard advice is to pack layers since both a hot afternoon and a cold evening are likely on the same day. One thread clarified that while Ouarzazate sits in a semi-arid zone that feels close to desert, it isn't true Sahara-dry - for that, forum regulars pointed further out to Merzouga, Zagora or M'Hamid.
Forum posters generally describe October across Morocco as good, sunny and warm, though they're direct that conditions vary a lot by region and even day to day - one poster cited a range as wide as 6C to 43C depending on where and when. Posters comparing desert-edge towns note that nearby Merzouga can run close to 30C by day in mid-October with warm nights, while Ouarzazate, sitting at higher elevation between Marrakech and the desert, should run a touch cooler than that. Posters also flag a practical detail: Morocco stays on summer time until late October, so daylight hours extend a bit later than travelers might expect. Posters generally rate October as a comfortable, warm and reliably dry time to visit Ouarzazate.
Add your own note from Ouarzazate's card on the map.
Ouarzazate climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Ouarzazate in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusySecond interim break (December) in Morocco, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Ouarzazate's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherOuarzazate's best weather comes in March, April and November — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Ouarzazate in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Closure
Snow on the Tichka pass
1 Dec – 15 Mar · usuallyRiskThe high pass over the Atlas closes at short notice after a snowfall, which cuts the direct road to Marrakesh and adds hours by the long way round. Check before committing to a loop. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Ouarzazate — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Ouarzazate?
Ouarzazate in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Ouarzazate?
- December in Ouarzazate: cool, dry — a great time to visit. It ranks #7 of 12 months for Ouarzazate on SeasonMap's comfort score (79/100).
- What is the weather like in Ouarzazate in December?
- In December, Ouarzazate averages a daily high of 18.8°C and a low of 3.4°C, with about 9.2 mm of rain over roughly 2 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Ouarzazate in December?
- Ouarzazate has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 53 in December.
Within 300 km: Marrakesh's Olive harvest around 1 Nov – 31 Dec, and Taghazout's The points work around 1 Oct – 15 Apr.