The latest forecasts issued by the General Directorate of Meteorology indicate that the overall weather conditions in the Kingdom will undergo a significant change starting Tuesday evening and continuing through Wednesday. This weather disturbance will be characterized by a noticeable drop in temperatures and a return of rain and snow, particularly in the northern, eastern, and mountainous regions, according to official data.

Al-Hussein Youabed, head of the communications department at the aforementioned directorate affiliated with the Ministry of Equipment and Water, confirmed that “the various regions of the Kingdom will witness, during the coming days, significant weather changes characterized by a clear drop in temperatures, the return of rain in the north and east, and snowfall in the highlands starting this evening and tomorrow, Wednesday,” noting that “the cold weather will continue after that during the night and early morning, with unstable weather in the north.”

In a statement to the online newspaper Hespress, Youssef Yaouabid added that, starting Tuesday,"cold to relatively cold" weather is expected to prevail in several regions, particularly in the highlands, the southeast, and the east. Rain and showers are expected to begin in the Tangier, Loukkos, Rif, Mediterranean coast, Gharb, and Saïss regions, before"gradually extending towards the High and Middle Atlas Mountains and the northern part of the Eastern Region during the night." Some northern Atlantic plains will also experience "scattered showers," while snow is expected to return to the Middle Atlas and Rif Mountains starting Tuesday night.

Rainfall map

According to the latest weather updates, “relatively strong to strong winds are expected on the northern, central and southern coasts, and on the highlands and the Mediterranean coast, which may contribute to stirring up dust locally. As for temperatures, they will range between very low levels in the highlands (may reach below zero), and relatively moderate in the southern regions.”

The unsettled weather will continue on Wednesday, with rainfall concentrated in the north and east, becoming locally moderate in the Saïss, Middle Atlas, and eastern regions. Meanwhile, the southwest, Chaouia, Doukkala, the phosphate plateaus, Oulmès, the northern High Atlas, and its western plains may experience light and scattered rainfall.

The head of the communications department at the General Directorate of Meteorology commented on this matter, elaborating: “These disturbances will continue in the north and east of the country, with cold weather over the Atlas Mountains, the Rif Mountains, the southeast, and the eastern highlands. The Saïss region, the Middle Atlas Mountains, and the east will also experience rain and scattered showers that may be locally moderate. As for the southwest, the Chaouia region, the Doukkala region, the phosphate plateaus, Oulmès, the northern High Atlas Mountains and its western plains, and the far south, they may experience light and scattered rainfall.”

Al-Hussein Youabed predicted “the continuation of snowfall over the Middle Atlas, the northern High Atlas, and the eastern highlands at altitudes exceeding 1700 meters, in addition to the possibility of recording some snowy periods in the countryside. Winds will remain relatively strong to strong over the Mediterranean, the High and Middle Atlas, and the east, with the possibility of local dust storms, in addition to strong winds also on the northern, central, and southern coasts.”

The same official stated that “minimum temperatures will drop to between -4 and 1 degree Celsius in the Atlas Mountains, and between 1 and 5 degrees in the countryside, the southeast and the eastern highlands, while they will range between 11 and 18 degrees in the far south of the southern regions and in the coastal areas, and between 4 and 11 degrees in the rest of the regions.”

High temperatures will see a “noticeable decrease” in the east, the Mediterranean coast, the Middle Atlas and the far south, while they will remain “stable or experience a slight increase” in the rest of the regions.

On Thursday, the weather will be partly cloudy to occasionally cloudy, with continued cold weather over the Atlas Mountains, the Rif region, the east, the southeast, and the eastern highlands. Some scattered clouds will appear in the far northwest and southeast of the southern provinces, with the possibility of relatively strong winds along the central and southern coasts and the Mediterranean coast. Maximum temperatures are also expected to decrease in the southeast, while remaining stable or rising slightly in other areas, according to the same official.

Over 1700 meters

According to updated monitoring data from the General Directorate of Meteorology, a “warning bulletin” concerns a number of regions.

The same data indicated that “significant snowfall is expected to be recorded starting from an altitude of 1700 meters with an orange alert level, where it will range between 20 and 30 centimeters in Ifrane, Boulemane, Sefrou and Midelt; while it will range between 5 and 10 centimeters in the areas of Chefchaouen, Al Hoceima, Guercif, Taourirt, Figuig, Taza, Khenifra, Azilal and Beni Mellal, tomorrow, Wednesday, from one o’clock after midnight until six o’clock in the evening.”

The same source warned of “strong gusts of wind” affecting a number of regions, with speeds ranging between 70 and 85 km/h, at an orange alert level. These regions include Nador, Jerada, Berkane, Oujda-Angad, Taourirt, Guercif, Figuig, Driouch, Boulemane, Taza and Midelt, from 3:00 AM until 9:00 PM. The Directorate called on citizens to “exercise caution and vigilance during the period of these weather phenomena.”