Marrakech weather in May
Marrakech weather in May: highs of 29 °C, lows of 15 °C and about 11 mm of rain over one or two days. Go out in the morning or late afternoon.
Marrakech in May is hot by day and mild at night, with an average high of 29.4 °C, an average low of 15.2 °C and only about 11 mm of rain over one or two days. The sun shines for about 303 hours in the month, and the days last nearly 14 hours.
What is the weather like in Marrakech in May?
May is the month when the heat arrives in Marrakech. Afternoons average 29.4 °C, with hotter spells on top of that, and the middle of the day is already hot in the open. Nights fall to an average of 15.2 °C, so there are about 14 degrees between the warmest and the coolest hours: mornings and evenings stay pleasant, even when the afternoon is hot.
Rain becomes scarce. The month averages 10.5 mm over 1.5 days with at least 1 mm, so most weeks pass without any. Sunshine adds up to about 303 hours, nearly ten hours a day on average.
Humidity averages 58 %, slightly lower than in April. The dry air makes the heat feel less heavy than the same temperature would in a humid city, but the sun is no less strong for it.
May compared with April and June
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rain | Rainy days | Sunshine | Sunset (15th) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 25.7 °C | 12.4 °C | 26.3 mm | 2.9 | 270 h | 19:00 |
| May | 29.4 °C | 15.2 °C | 10.5 mm | 1.5 | 303 h | 19:21 |
| June | 33.6 °C | 17.9 °C | 3.1 mm | 0.6 | 360 h | 19:38 |
May is the month of the biggest change: afternoons gain almost four degrees on April, then more than four again in June, and nights gain nearly three degrees each month. Rain drops by more than half from April to May, and by two thirds again in June. Sunset moves about 20 minutes later than in April. For the months on either side, see Marrakech weather in April and Marrakech weather in June.
Sunrise and sunset in May
On 15 May the sun rises at about 5:35 am and sets at about 7:21 pm, at GMT (UTC+0), the time in Morocco since 20 September 2026. That gives nearly 14 hours of daylight, about 50 minutes more than in mid-April.
Morocco’s time changes neither in summer nor during Ramadan.
In May, the afternoon departure in Agafay is at 5:00 pm, and the meeting point at the base is at the start time. Sunset in mid-May is at about 7:20 pm. Agafay at sunset gives the sunset time for every month and the fixed afternoon departures.
The Agafay desert in May
The Agafay desert, 45 minutes from the city, has the same climate as Marrakech. What changes is the exposure: the plateau is open stony ground with little shade, so the midday sun is harder there than in town, and once the sun has set it gets cold quickly.
In May, the time of day starts to matter. With afternoons around 29 °C, the hours around midday are hot on the plateau; the morning and the late afternoon are the comfortable windows. The evening falls towards 15 °C, mild in town but cool in the open, so a light sweater is worth taking.
The quad, camel and sunset dinner in Agafay is built around the afternoon: the departure is at 5:00 pm, and dinner follows the ride. For the 2-hour buggy drive in Agafay, the 10:00 am and 5:00 pm departures are the more comfortable choice in May, rather than the 12:00 one.
What to wear in Marrakech in May
- Light, covering clothes for the day: at 29.4 °C in the afternoon and nearly ten hours of sun, long sleeves in a thin fabric protect better than bare arms.
- A hat, sunglasses and sun cream, every day.
- Water at all times, in town and on the plateau.
- A light sweater for the evening, when the temperature falls towards 15 °C, and in the desert after dark.
- No need for rain gear: rain falls on one or two days in the month.
For a ride on the plateau, What to wear quad biking in Agafay goes through the kit piece by piece, including closed shoes and sunglasses for the dust.
Is May a good time to visit Marrakech?
Yes, if you plan around the middle of the day. May is warm to hot and almost dry, with long days and pleasant evenings. The mornings and late afternoons are ideal for being outdoors; the hours around midday are better spent in the shade. Marrakech weather month by month counts it among the spring months, before summer settles in.
If you want the same long days with less heat, April is about four degrees cooler in the afternoon but wetter; June is hotter still and almost rainless. Either way, check the forecast a few days before you go: the figures on this page are averages over thirty years, not a promise for a given week, and a hot spell can push the afternoon well above them.
