Since late July, Morocco has been living through an exceptional heatwave, remarkable both for its duration and its intensity. From one province to the next, the mercury keeps climbing, keeping the country under near-constant weather monitoring for more than ten days now.
Since July 29, 2026, the General Directorate of Meteorology has issued a steady stream of orange-level weather alerts. Temperatures have regularly reached between 45 and 47 degrees Celsius in the country’s southern provinces, with Oued Ed-Dahab, Boujdour, Assa-Zag, Es-Semara, Taroudant, Tata, Zagora, Errachidia, and Aousserd among the hardest-hit areas. Further inland, the provinces of Marrakech, Béni Mellal, Fquih Ben Salah, and Kelaâ des Sraghna have also recorded peaks between 42 and 45 degrees.
A brief easing was expected starting August 6, with meteorologists forecasting a gradual drop in temperatures. But the alert level has stayed high. As early as August 7, a new bulletin warned of another spell of intense heat, this time combined with the risk of thunderstorms bringing hail and strong winds to several provinces, including Boulemane, Ifrane, Béni Mellal, Azilal, Al Haouz, Tinghir, Taroudant, and Ouarzazate. The situation remains fully active as of now, swinging between oppressive heat and localized storm risk.
This prolonged heatwave is putting direct strain on the public health system. Each new spell of extreme heat brings a noticeable rise in medical consultations related to heat exhaustion, sunstroke, and dehydration. Health authorities continue to point to the same vulnerable groups: children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people living with chronic illnesses.
The world of work is adjusting as well. On many construction sites, schedules have been rearranged to limit the most demanding tasks during the hottest hours of the day. A growing number of employers now favor early morning or late afternoon shifts, a shift that has become almost standard practice to protect workers exposed to the elements.
Beyond the immediate discomfort, this heatwave is unfolding against a backdrop of structural drought that has been weakening Moroccan agriculture for years. Water management remains a central concern for the kingdom, illustrated by major hydraulic infrastructure projects currently underway, including what will become the country’s fifth-largest dam, under construction in the drought-stricken province of Figuig. The project, already 78 percent complete, is expected to begin filling as early as December 2026, several months ahead of its original schedule.
For many observers and Moroccan media outlets, this heat episode goes beyond a simple seasonal weather event. Each summer, heatwaves seem to grow more intense and more frequent, reinforcing the sense that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a tangible reality for the country. Temperatures regularly exceeding 45 degrees in several regions, health services under continuous strain, weakened agriculture, and citizens forced to adjust their daily routines all point toward the same conclusion, that Moroccan infrastructure needs to be rethought for a climate that is becoming increasingly extreme.
As this reality takes hold, protecting the most vulnerable populations, adapting infrastructure, and preserving natural resources are emerging as unavoidable priorities for Moroccan authorities, as these heat episodes increasingly look less like an exception and more like the new normal.