Hot desert climates (BWh) are typically found under the subtropical ridge in the lower middle latitudes or the subtropics, often between 20 and 33 north and south latitudes. The Sahara annual average temperature is 30C but can regularly exceed 40C in the hottest months. Why do magnets have north and south poles? If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. The annual temperature range is considerable, with average lows in January reaching 40 F (40 C) and average highs in July climbing to 113 F (45 C); daily temperature ranges also can be quite large. Kelaat-MGouna, known as the valley of roses, hosts this annual festival every year in May. In the salt marshes, too, halophilous groups prevail: potash bush, Siberian nitre bush, tamarisk, and annual halophytes; in the sands grow saxaul, the sandy wormwood, and sparse perennial and annual herbs such as the annual Gobi kumarchik (Agriophylum gobicum) and the perennial timuriya (Timouria villosa). W", Traveled to Morocco as a couple in April, 2023, "Had the most amazing 10 day trip throughout Morocco! Our guide to everything you need to know before travelling to Morocco, 5 magical experiences to have in Morocco with Trafalgar, All the essentials to include on your Morocco packing list, All the different types of music you can look forward to on your next trip to Morocco, The dream bucket list destinations that are open to travellers for 2022 trips, 12 quarantine-free travel experiences to try in 2021, Christmas in the sunshine: where to go for winter sun in Morocco. March heralds the start of spring in Morocco, with the weather warming up. var t = d.createElement('script'); Of course, weather varies across the regionthe Sahara stretches across one-third of Africabut here, in the desert's northwest, days are long and hot, with highs in the mid-90s and lows in the mid-70s. Sahara desert hit by icy blast as snow blankets parts of Saudi Arabia Desert insects include flies, malaria-carrying Anopheles mosquitoes, fleas, lice, roaches, ants, termites, beetles, and mantids (predatory insects that camouflage themselves as leaves, twigs, or pebbles). January is the coldest month in Saudi Arabia, with the mercury hitting an average of 68.36 degrees . Gnaoua World Music Festival. Little precipitation falls in May and June. If you're prepared for cold and snow, you could also plan to spend a day skiing in the nearby Atlas mountains. Ramadan. In comparison to summer months, when the heat can be dangerous in the Sahara, January is a great time for outdoor activities. Most of the heat during day dissipates by evening, so temperatures drop.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thinkmorocco_com-leader-2','ezslot_18',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thinkmorocco_com-leader-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thinkmorocco_com-leader-2','ezslot_19',113,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thinkmorocco_com-leader-2-0_1'); .leader-2-multi-113{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. The annual total precipitation varies from less than 2 inches (50 mm) in the west to more than 8 inches (200 mm) in the northeast. The Sahara has a dry, tropical climate that provides for mild winters. Clear. Morocco's Sahara Desert in October: Travel Tips, Weather, and More These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. . // embed.js CDN How the Earth was made? The northernmost latitudes are arid subtropical and have two rainy seasons, while the southern latitudes are tropical and have one rainy season. Monsoonlike conditions exist in the eastern regions, which receive most of their precipitation in summer. Processes used to mine certain ores in large quantities, notably copper, also have increased contamination of the groundwater at other sites. Related: Could the Sahara ever be green again? Though hot in the summer, it shares the very cold winters of the rest of Inner Asia. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Its also best to stay clear of the Sahara Desert in August as its simply too hot. Although precipitation is highly variable, it averages about 3 inches (76 millimetres) per year. So, why does this dramatic temperature shift happen in arid deserts like the Sahara? Sahara Desert Gets Snowfall in Rare Phenomenon, Stunning Photos Go Viral The Sahara Desert's vast, harsh landscape is home to little life, but hardy animals and vegetation can be found in sparse pockets like the Merzouga oasis in Morocco. On January 10, locals in the mountainous region were treated to a flurry of snow. This symmetry is, however, imperfect because of a third factorthe great east . There is almost no vegetation in Antarctica, so the animals that live there are mostly carnivores, such as penguins, albatrosses, whales, and seals. Still, the Moroccan Sahara is not a place to visit casually or spontaneously: to have the best experience in this far-flung region, it's best to plan well ahead of time. The climate is acutely continental and dry: winter is severe, spring is dry and cold, and summer is warm. If youre dreaming of some winter sun, December is a great time to visit Morocco. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. As in the north, much of this rainfall occurs as thunderstorms. Based on fossil evidence, the Sahara and Antarctica appear to have been the homes of many plants and animals in the past. Therefore, a lack of humidity in deserts allows these arid places to quickly heat up but also rapidly cool. When not at work he can be found watching sci-fi films, playing old Pokemon games or running (probably slower than he'd like). Its an incredible multicultural celebration of music, dance, food, cultural issues, and more. If it gets too hot, you can always retreat to the Atlas Mountains which are a bit cooler than the cities at around 30C. January is the coldest monthin Saudi Arabia, with the mercury hitting an average of 68.36 degrees Fahrenheit.. Tabuk is one of the coldest regions in the country, but it usually experiences dry weather with average temperatures of 39.2 degrees. Professor Sumant Nigam, an atmospheric and oceanic scientist at the University of Maryland and the senior author of the study, said: Our results are specific to the Sahara, but they likely have implications for the worlds other deserts., It comes as parts of the UK are braced for days of downpours, with forecasters warning of fast-flowing flooding causing a danger to life.. Pasturage for cattle is available throughout the year because of underground water supplies. Yassine thought nothing of going the extra mile in customer service and did that the day I hurt my ankle.", Moroccan Highlights: Fes, the Sahara Desert, & Marrakech - 6 Days, Marrakech & Grand Tour of the Sahara Desert - 6 Days, Morocco's Imperial Cities & the Sahara Desert - 13 Days, Ultimate Guide to Luxury Travel in Morocco, Planning Your Perfect Honeymoon in Morocco, Morocco in January: Travel Tips, Weather, and More, Morocco in February: Travel Tips, Weather, and More, Morocco in March: Travel Tips, Weather, and More, 5 Days in Morocco - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas, 1 Week in Morocco - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas, 10 Days in Morocco - 6 Unique Itinerary Ideas, 2 Weeks in Morocco - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas, Grand Morocco Tour: North to South - 10 Days, Marrakech & Grand Tour of the Sahara Desert - 5 Days, A Taste of Morocco: Casablanca to Marrakech - 7 Days, Ultimate Guide to Chefchaouen: Morocco's Blue City. Both deserts have fossil evidence suggesting that this was not always true. Its usually held in March in the Draa Valley. A more accurate definition of a desert is a region in which the potential evaporation rate is twice as great as the precipitation. The Moroccan winter continues into February and although the weather gets a little warmer, its still often cold, rainy and snowy. Second, the near bisection of the continent by the Equator results in a largely symmetrical arrangement of climatic zones on either side. The Sahara has rocky plateaus as well as sand dunes. "I call it cheating because they don't really experience the limitations of a desert," DeNardo said. The temperatures can still reach up to 33C so it's still a great time to go to the beach. Youll likely find the sun shining and the flowers blooming when you visit Morocco in March. In these locations, stable descending air and high pressure aloft clear clouds and create hot, arid conditions with intense sunshine. "Incredible Earth" reveals answers to these questions and more on a thrilling journey through everything you need to know about our world and with gorgeous photography and insightful diagrams along the way! The most extreme weather and climates on Earth: From fire tornadoes to Morocco's Sahara Desert in June: Travel Tips, Weather, and More During the past 7,000 years cattle-based animal husbandry in the desert and along its margins apparently has contributed further to the maintenance of these conditions, and the climate of the Sahara has been relatively constant for 2,000 years. RELATED CONTENT: Our guide to everything you need to know before travelling to Morocco. The ultramarathon is about 250 kilometers . Since January is a shoulder season, its a quieter time of year for tourism. (Weather station: Asyut Airport, Egypt). The reason is that they both see little precipitation during the course of a year, typically around 25 centimeters (10 inches), or less. Africa - Climate | Britannica By far the coldest continent, Antarctica has winter temperatures that range from 128.6 F (89.2 C), the world's lowest recorded temperature, measured at Vostok Station (Russia) on July 21, 1983, on the high inland ice sheet to 76 F (60 C . The dust-laden haboob winds of Sudan are of shorter duration, chiefly occur during the summer months, and often usher in heavy rains. It also gets colder and windier in coastal cities like Essaouira and snow gets thicker in the High Atlas Mountains. Held every year (usually July) in Casablanca, it attracts the best jazz musicians from across the globe. January falls in the middle of winter, meaning icy temperatures and snowy mountains. GET INSPIRED BY: Spain, Morocco and Portugal. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Eric Leister said while it is rare for the region to have snow, it is not completely out of the ordinary. RELATED CONTENT: The dream bucket list destinations that are open to travellers for 2022 trips. Mawazine Festival. Sahara - Climate | Britannica The Absheron Peninsula in eastern Azerbaijan is also an example of a cold desert climate. Marrakesh International Film Festival. Snowy conditions make much of the High Atlas mountains impassable and snow falls heavily in many of the smaller villages. Copyright Trafalgar Tours, all rights reserved. The world absolute heat records, over 50C (122F), are generally in the hot deserts, where the heat potential can be the highest on the planet. On the plateau and on the plains beneath the mountains, small bushlike vegetation occurs: Echinochloa (a type of succulent grass found in warm regions), yellowwood bean caper, winter fat (a shrub covered with densely matted hairs), nitre bush, and bushlike halophytic vegetation. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Why do deserts get so cold at night? | Live Science In comparison to summer months, when the heat can be dangerous in the Sahara, January is a great time for outdoor activities. If you head into the mountains, youre likely to see the snow melting and the wildflowers, cherry trees and almond trees blossoming. An Sfra known as The Gateway to the Desert is around 3,280 feet above sea level and surrounded by the Atlas Mountains. All rights reserved. Its an incredible change from daytime highs of over 100-degrees Fahrenheit during a day with sunshine to nighttime lows of minus 4-degrees Celsius on chilly nights without any warmth coming from the sky. With daytime temperatures rising to 45C, its best to go exploring in the mornings and evenings and spend the midday soaking in a pool. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world and the third-largest desert overall, behind the cold deserts of Antarctica and the Arctic. Livestock raising is mainly nomadic, and herds move several times a year, migrating as much as 120 miles (190 km) between extreme points. Milad un Nabi. The dry tropical climate to the south is dominated by the same high-pressure cells, but it is regularly influenced by the seasonal interaction of a stable continental subtropical air mass and a southerly, unstable maritime tropical air mass. Contamination with arsenic has also become a major problem where water in wells has been depleted, and thousands of people have been affected. Held from 1213 January every year, Yennayer is the Amazigh (Berber) holiday that marks the start of the agricultural year. This is because of what we know now about climate change, but in the past it was not uncommon for civilizations to flourish in this region. Average temperatures for the coldest months are essentially the same as they are for the subtropical zone to the north, but the diurnal range is more moderate. The dry desert air cools off quite a bit after the summertime peak, with average temperatures in the low 70s, highs in the low 80s, and lows in . 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. Akchour Waterfalls + Gods Bridge This is the time to visit the Erg Chebbi dunes, go on a camel ride, and enjoy an organized tour of desert towns. Since 1995, joint Mongolian-American and Mongolian-European expeditions have also investigated the tectonic history and landscape evolution of the Gobi. That's because temperatures in the Sahara can plummet once the sun sets, from an average high of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) during the day to an average low of 25 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 4 degrees Celsius) during the night, according to NASA.