Western Sahara
Weather locations in Western Sahara
Choose a location in Western Sahara to view its available forecast products.
Western Sahara illustrated weather map
1 mapped locations
Only locations with a verified coordinate are marked. The complete location list is below.
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Climate of Western Sahara
Country climate guideWestern Sahara is a territory on the north-west coast of Africa, between Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania, and its climate is the hot desert type that defines the western edge of the Sahara. The coast is unusual, because the cold Canary Current pushes north-east up the Atlantic and keeps summer temperatures far lower than inland; the interior becomes true desert within a short distance. Rainfall is minimal everywhere, and there are no permanent rivers or lakes.
Main climate types
Almost the whole territory is classified as a hot desert climate, with a narrow strip along the coast that is milder because of the cold water offshore. The difference between coast and interior is the most important feature of the climate. Coastal stations average around 20 °C in January and only about 25 °C in August, whereas the inland desert can average highs in the high 30s °C during July and August.
Temperatures
Monthly means on the coast run from about 14 °C to 16 °C in January up to around 24 °C to 26 °C in August, and nights stay mild enough for eating and walking outdoors all year. Inland, summer is extremely hot, with highs well above 40 °C, and the daily range is wide because dry air heats quickly and radiates that heat after sunset. The coldest months are December and January.
Rainfall
Precipitation is very low. Annual totals of less than 100 millimetres are normal along the coast, and much of the interior receives under 50 millimetres. When rain does fall it usually comes between November and March, as heavy thunderstorms over the hammada, the stony desert covering most of the interior. These events flood wadis and make roads impassable for hours, and they remain the main weather hazard.
When to go
Even summer on the coast is bearable because of the cold ocean current, but the best months are March to May and September to November, when days are warm and the wind is gentler. Sailing and windsurfing are at their best in summer, when the trade wind feeding the Canary Current is strongest. Visitors should stay with an organised group and avoid the remote desert roads.