The sea off Essaouira stays between about 17 °C and 20 °C all year. It is coolest in February and March (17.0 °C) and warmest in October (19.7 °C), according to Open-Meteo Marine model data for 2022–2024. That is cool water in every season, so we recommend a full wetsuit: a 4/3 mm in winter and spring, a 3/2 mm in summer.
Essaouira sea temperature, month by month
| Month | Sea (°C) | Offshore wave height (m) | Wave period (s) | Air, daytime max (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17.3 | 1.9 | 11.1 | 19.3 |
| February | 17.0 | 2.1 | 11.3 | 19.7 |
| March | 17.0 | 2.5 | 11.1 | 20.3 |
| April | 17.7 | 1.9 | 8.9 | 21.5 |
| May | 17.5 | 1.7 | 7.8 | 23.2 |
| June | 18.9 | 1.5 | 7.3 | 24.3 |
| July | 18.1 | 1.6 | 6.5 | 26.6 |
| August | 18.5 | 1.7 | 6.9 | 27.0 |
| September | 19.0 | 1.5 | 8.3 | 25.5 |
| October | 19.7 | 1.8 | 9.8 | 24.7 |
| November | 19.0 | 2.0 | 11.0 | 22.3 |
| December | 17.9 | 1.9 | 10.7 | 20.6 |
About these numbers. Sea temperature, wave height and wave period are monthly averages from a marine model at a point offshore of Essaouira (2022–2024). They are model values, not measurements on the beach, and the wave height is the offshore significant wave height, not the size of the waves you will ride at the beach. Air temperature is the mean daily maximum from ERA5, a weather reanalysis with a grid of about 25–30 km that smooths out local coastal effects. Use the table to compare months, not as a promise for a given day.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0): sea and waves from the Open-Meteo Marine API, 2022–2024; air temperature from ERA5 reanalysis 2015–2024.
How cold is the water in Essaouira?
Cool, all year round. In the data, the monthly average never drops below 17.0 °C or rises above 19.7 °C, so there is less than 3 °C between the coolest and the warmest month.
- Coolest: February and March, at 17.0 °C.
- Spring to early summer: 17.7 °C in April and 17.5 °C in May, then 18.9 °C in June.
- Midsummer: July is slightly cooler than June in the data (18.1 °C), and August reaches 18.5 °C.
- Warmest: autumn, with 19.0 °C in September, 19.7 °C in October and 19.0 °C in November.
Which wetsuit should you wear in Essaouira?
Our recommendation:
- Winter and spring (December to May): a 4/3 mm full wetsuit. The sea is between 17.0 °C and 17.9 °C in these months.
- Summer (June to August): a 3/2 mm full wetsuit. The sea is between 18.1 °C and 18.9 °C.
In autumn (September to November) the water is at its warmest of the year, 19.0 to 19.7 °C. Whatever the season, the water is cool enough that a full wetsuit is advised.
If you take a lesson with us, you do not need your own: the wetsuit is included with the rest of the equipment.
What are the waves like through the year?
Offshore, the swell is biggest from November to March, with average heights of 1.9 to 2.5 m and long periods of about 11 seconds (10.7 to 11.3 s). The biggest month is March (2.5 m). From May to September it is smaller and shorter: 1.5 to 1.7 m, with periods of 6.5 to 8.3 seconds. These are offshore model values: the waves on the beach can be quite different.
What is the air temperature?
The mean daytime maximum goes from 19.3 °C in January to 27.0 °C in August, in ERA5 data for 2015–2024.
In short
- Sea temperature: from 17.0 °C (February, March) to 19.7 °C (October). Cool all year.
- Wetsuit: we recommend a 4/3 mm in winter and spring and a 3/2 mm in summer, always a full wetsuit.
- Offshore waves: biggest from November to March (1.9–2.5 m), smaller from May to September (1.5–1.7 m).
- Air: mean daytime maximum from 19.3 °C (January) to 27.0 °C (August).
- Lessons: the wetsuit is included.
Essaouira Watersports is an IKO-certified school at 11 Av. Princesse Lalla Amina, Essaouira (WhatsApp +212 690 255 062), and the wetsuit is included in every lesson. See our surf lessons and kitesurf lessons.