Season guide · Essaouira

The best time to kitesurf in Essaouira

Go between May and August, and aim for July if you can: it is the windiest month, with 75% of days averaging 12 knots or more in ten years of data. April and September are good shoulder months. December and January are the calmest. The sea stays between about 17 and 20 °C, so bring a full wetsuit.

Last updated:

Peak
July
14.0 kn
Season
Apr – Sep
north wind
Calmest
December
8.0 kn

How often is there kiteable wind?

Days with a daytime mean of 12 and 15 knots or moreEssaouira, ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2015–2024, 11:00–18:00 local time
  • Days with ≥ 12 kn
  • of which ≥ 15 kn

Month by month: wind, temperature and wetsuit

Essaouira monthly averages. Wind and air temperature: ERA5 2015–2024, daytime 11:00–18:00. Sea temperature and waves: Open-Meteo Marine API, offshore, 2022–2024. Wetsuit: our recommendation.
MonthMean wind (kn)Days ≥ 12 knDays ≥ 15 knWind from (share of hours ≥ 8 kn)Air, daily max (°C)Sea (°C)Offshore waves (m)Wetsuit
January9.128%13%NE 53% · N 29%19.317.31.94/3 mm
February10.234%18%N 43% · NE 40%19.717.02.14/3 mm
March11.240%22%N 51% · NE 26%20.317.02.54/3 mm
April11.647%27%N 64% · NE 17%21.517.71.94/3 mm
May12.756%36%N 71% · NE 14%23.217.51.74/3 mm
June12.857%37%N 80% · NE 10%24.318.91.53/2 mm
July14.075%46%N 86% · NE 12%26.618.11.63/2 mm
August13.064%35%N 84% · NE 15%27.018.51.73/2 mm
September11.046%18%N 77% · NE 18%25.519.01.53/2 mm
October9.128%11%N 60% · NE 19%24.719.71.83/2 or 4/3 mm
November9.428%14%N 41% · NE 38%22.319.02.03/2 or 4/3 mm
December8.021%11%NE 48% · N 26%20.617.91.94/3 mm

Arrows point where the wind blows towards. Offshore wave height is a model value away from the beach; what you meet on the sand depends on the spot and the tide.

Interactive

Best month finder

Pick your level, the wind you want and how much warmth matters. The months are ranked from the Essaouira data above.

Your level
Wind you want
Warm water and air matter

Your best months: July, August, June

  1. 1July9175% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 18.1 °C · air 27 °C
  2. 2August8364% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 18.5 °C · air 27 °C
  3. 3June7957% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 18.9 °C · air 24 °C
  4. 4September7246% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 19.0 °C · air 26 °C
  5. 5May6756% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 17.5 °C · air 23 °C
  6. 6April5547% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 17.7 °C · air 22 °C
  7. 7October5328% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 19.7 °C · air 25 °C
  8. 8November4428% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 19.0 °C · air 22 °C
  9. 9February3534% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 17.0 °C · air 20 °C
  10. 10January3528% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 17.3 °C · air 19 °C
  11. 11March3440% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 17.0 °C · air 20 °C
  12. 12December3321% days ≥ 12 kn · sea 17.9 °C · air 21 °C
How the score is calculated

Each month gets a score out of 100 from the Essaouira data. Wind (weight 1) is the share of days at your chosen strength, relative to the best month. Warmth (weight 0, 0.35 or 0.7) averages the offshore sea temperature and the daytime maximum air temperature, each scaled between the coolest and warmest month. Calmer sea (weight 0.3 for beginners, 0.1 for intermediates, 0 for advanced riders) favours months with lower average offshore wave height, a rough proxy for easier conditions.

It is a ranking aid built on long-term averages from a coarse grid, not a forecast. Always check the forecast for your dates.

What is each season like?

Spring (March to May)

The wind builds through spring: 40% of March days reach 12 knots, 47% in April and 56% in May. From April the north wind takes over (64% of windy hours in April). The sea is still cool, around 17.0–17.7 °C offshore, and offshore waves peak in March (about 2.5 m on average).

Summer (June to August)

Peak season. July averages 14.0 knots in the daytime and 46% of its days reach 15 knots. The wind comes overwhelmingly from the north (86% of windy hours in July). Air is warm (daily maximum around 24–27 °C on this grid), but the sea stays cool, about 18.1 °C offshore in July. We recommend a 3/2 mm wetsuit.

Autumn (September to November)

September still has 46% of days at 12 knots. October and November drop to 28%. In exchange the sea is at its warmest, about 19.7 °C in October, and south-west wind starts to appear (15% of windy hours in October).

Winter (December to February)

The quietest season: 21% of days in December reach 12 knots, 34% in February. North-east wind dominates, with south-west wind from Atlantic fronts. Offshore waves have a long period (around 11 s). We recommend a 4/3 mm wetsuit.

Air and sea temperature

Warm air, cool seaEssaouira: mean daily maximum air temperature (ERA5, 2015–2024) and offshore sea surface temperature (2022–2024), °C
  • Air (daily max)
  • Sea (offshore)

Next: see where to kite around Essaouira or how Essaouira compares with Dakhla and Tarifa.

Questions travellers ask

What is the best month to kitesurf in Essaouira?

July. In ERA5 data for 2015–2024 it has the highest mean daytime wind (14.0 knots) and the most days at 12 knots or more (75%). August (64%), June (57%) and May (56%) are next.

Is there wind in Essaouira in winter?

Less. December is the calmest month (8.0 knots mean daytime wind, 21% of days at 12 knots or more) and January has 28%. Winter wind is mostly north-east, with some south-west wind from Atlantic fronts.

Which direction does the wind blow in Essaouira?

From April to September, 64–86% of hours with at least 8 knots blow from the north, with some north-east: the summer trade wind (alizé). In winter north-east dominates and south-west appears.

What wetsuit do I need for Essaouira?

A full wetsuit all year. As a recommendation: 4/3 mm in winter and spring, 3/2 mm in summer. Modelled offshore sea temperature ranges from about 17 °C in February and March to about 19–20 °C in September and October.

Is October a good month to kitesurf in Essaouira?

It is one of the lighter months: 9.1 knots mean daytime wind and 28% of days at 12 knots or more. The sea is at its warmest (about 19.7 °C offshore), so it suits flexible riders more than a short trip that depends on wind.

Sources

  1. 1.Open-Meteo Historical Weather API. ERA5 hourly 10 m wind, direction and 2 m temperature, 2015–2024
  2. 2.Open-Meteo Marine API. Sea surface temperature, wave height and period, 2022–2024
  3. 3.ERA5 hourly data on single levels (Copernicus Climate Change Service)
  4. 4.Open-Meteo licence (CC BY 4.0). Weather data by Open-Meteo.com, CC BY 4.0