The upcoming heatwave will be accompanied by warm sirocco winds known in Morocco as “chergui.”
Rabat – The General Directorate of Meteorology (DGM) announced in a special bulletin that Morocco will see a heatwave from Tuesday, August 25 to Thursday, August 27 in several provinces.
DGM forecast temperatures ranging between 38 and 49 degrees Celsius in several regions throughout Morocco. Sirocco will accompany the heatwave, also known as “chergui” in Morocco.
Temperatures between 47 and 49 degrees Celsius will reach the provinces of Agadir-Ida-Ou Tanane, Chtouka Ait Baha, Guelmim, Inezgane-Ait Melloul, Laayoune, and Taroudant, DMN revealed in its red-level meteorological bulletin.
Temperatures between 44 and 47 degrees Celsius will concern the provinces of Aousserd, Assa-Zag, Beni Mellal, Boujdour, Kelaat Sraghna, Es-Semara, Essaouira, Fquih Ben Salah, Marrakech, Oued Ed-Dahab, Rehamna, Settat, Sidi Ifni, Tan-Tan, Tarfaya, Tata, Tiznit, and Youssoufia, during the same period.
Temperatures varying between 40 and 44 degrees Celsius will hit the provinces of Benslimane, Berrechid, Chichaoua, El Hajeb, Errachidia, Fez, Guercif, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Larache, Meknes, Moulay Yacoub, Ouezzane, Safi, Sefrou, Settat, Sidi Bennour, Sidi Kacem, Sidi Taourirt, Taounate, and Zagora, during the same period.
Meanwhile, temperatures between 38 and 41 degrees Celsius will hit the provinces of Chefchaouen, El Jadida, Kenitra, Mediouna, Nouaceur, Rabat, Sale, Skhirat-Temara, and Tangier-Asilah.
In addition to the upcoming heatwave, Morocco also expects wind gusts of 50 to 65 kilometers per hour in the southern provinces, with frequent sand-flushing.
DGM also expects moderate thunderstorms to hit the provinces of Al Haouz, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Boulemane, Chichaoua, El Hajeb, Kelaat Sraghna, Fquih Ben Salah, Ifrane, Khenifra, Khouribga, Midelt, Rehamna, Sefrou, Settat, and Youssoufia, on Tuesday.
The heatwave is likely to add to the difficult conditions that Morocco’s agriculture is enduring, marked by two consecutive years of drought, prompting the Ministry of Agriculture to present financial aid to farmers.