January in Morocco is four different countries at once. Agadir sits at about 21°C in reliable winter sun, Marrakech is warm by day and near-freezing at night, the Rif and the north are properly wet, and the High Atlas is under snow with a ski area operating 75 kilometres from a city where the orange trees are in fruit. It is low season almost everywhere, and the single biggest mistake is packing for one climate.
Morocco has four climates, and January shows all of them
This is the fact that organises any Moroccan trip, and it matters most in winter:
- The Atlantic coast – Agadir, Essaouira, Casablanca. Mild and remarkably stable. Agadir is the winter-sun capital at around 21°C with the most reliable sunshine in the country; Essaouira barely moves between 18°C and 23°C in any month of the year.
- The interior imperial cities – Marrakech, Fes, Meknes. Warm, clear days around 16–18°C and cold nights of 4–6°C. Fes is colder than Marrakech.
- The north and the Rif – Tangier, Chefchaouen, Tetouan. Mediterranean and genuinely wet in winter; this is the rainy season up there, and Chefchaouen can be cold, misty and beautiful or cold, misty and miserable.
- The High Atlas and the Sahara – snow on the mountains, and desert days around 18°C with nights near freezing.
The cold nobody packs for
Moroccan winter nights are colder than almost anyone expects, and the buildings make it worse. Riads and traditional houses are built for summer – thick walls, open central courtyards, tiled floors, frequently minimal heating – and a courtyard riad in Fes or Marrakech at 5°C is genuinely cold.
Confirm your accommodation has heating rather than assuming it does. This applies from November through March and is the most common practical complaint about a Moroccan winter trip.
Winter surf
Continue planning your Morocco trip
An underrated January draw. Taghazout and the Agadir coast have their best swell in winter – the Atlantic sends consistent groundswell from about November to March, and Anchor Point, Killer Point and the surrounding breaks are at their most reliable. Water temperatures need a wetsuit but the air is mild and the sun is out.
It pairs naturally with Agadir winter sun, and it is the one thing Morocco does better in January than in summer.
Skiing, and the Atlas
Oukaïmeden, about 75 km from Marrakech, is North Africa’s best-known ski area and operates when snowfall allows – conditions vary enormously year to year, so treat it as a day trip to check rather than a holiday to book. The valleys below it – Ourika, Imlil, Asni – are spectacular under snow and easy day trips.
Toubkal in January is a serious winter mountaineering objective requiring crampons, an ice axe and a qualified guide. It is not the summer trek in colder weather.
The two January holidays
- Monday 11 January – Independence Manifesto Day, a national public holiday.
- Thursday 14 January – Yennayer, the Amazigh New Year, which became an official paid public holiday in Morocco from January 2024. Banks, government offices and schools close. It marks the start of the agricultural calendar and is celebrated with family meals rather than street events.
Prices and crowds
Low season inland after the first week, with riad rates in Marrakech and Fes at their cheapest of the year. The exceptions are the New Year period and the Atlantic winter-sun resorts – Agadir runs a proper European winter season and prices accordingly.
See what a trip to Morocco costs.
What to pack
Layers, and genuinely more warmth than the daytime figures suggest – a proper jacket for evenings, unheated riads, desert nights and the Atlas. Add a waterproof if the north is on the itinerary, modest clothing throughout, and shoes that cope with uneven medina paving and wet cobbles. See the Morocco packing list.
The January 2027 calendar
- Friday 1 January – New Year’s Day, a public holiday; the first week is peak.
- Monday 11 January – Independence Manifesto Day, a national public holiday.
- Thursday 14 January – Yennayer, the Amazigh New Year, an official public holiday since 2024.
- Through January – peak Atlantic surf season at Taghazout and Anchor Point.
- Through January – Atlas snow; Oukaïmeden operating when conditions allow.
- Through January – the rainy season in the Rif and the north.
- Around 8 February – Ramadan is expected to begin, so January falls outside it.
Read alongside
- Morocco in February – almond blossom and the start of Ramadan.
- Marrakech in January – the city-level view.
- Best time to visit Morocco – all twelve months compared.
- Trip to Morocco cost – low-season numbers.
- Morocco 10-day itinerary – and how to weight it in winter.
- Morocco packing list – the winter version.
- Morocco travel guide – the regions and how they differ.
Frequently asked
Is January a good time to visit Morocco?
Yes, if you pick the right region. Agadir and the Atlantic coast give reliable winter sun, Marrakech and Fes are comfortable by day at low-season prices, and the Atlas has snow. The north is wet and the nights everywhere are cold.
Where is warmest in Morocco in January?
Agadir, at around 21°C with the most reliable sunshine in the country. Essaouira is milder than the interior too, and remarkably stable – it barely moves between 18°C and 23°C all year.
How cold does Morocco get at night in winter?
Around 4–6°C in Marrakech and Fes, and near freezing in the desert and the Atlas. Riads are built for summer with open courtyards and often minimal heating, so confirm your accommodation has heating before booking.
Does it rain in Morocco in January?
In the north, yes – the Rif, Tangier and Chefchaouen are in their rainy season. The interior and the south are largely dry, with only a handful of rainy days.
Can you surf in Morocco in January?
It is the best time. The Atlantic sends consistent groundswell from about November to March, and Taghazout, Anchor Point and the Agadir coast are at their most reliable. You will need a wetsuit.
Can you ski in Morocco?
At Oukaïmeden, about 75 km from Marrakech, when snowfall allows. Conditions vary enormously year to year, so treat it as a day trip to check rather than a ski holiday to book.
What is Yennayer?
The Amazigh (Berber) New Year on 14 January, marking the start of the agricultural calendar. It became an official paid public holiday in Morocco from January 2024, so banks, offices and schools close.
Can you visit the Sahara in January?
Yes, and the days are pleasant at around 18°C. The nights are the issue – near freezing in the dunes – so take genuinely warm layers for a desert camp.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
