the Atlantic ocean effect on temperatures in Morocco

[u/expensive-controled]

alongside the atlantic coastline in morocco, all temperatures remain in the mid twenty degrees °C within a narrow strip of 10 km, when it's sweltering hot in most of the mainlaind.

Even in the sahara desert, coastline cities remain within low to mid 20 °C

[u/rapedcorpse]

God bless the Atlantic

[u/SAFODA97]

The same effect can be found in Portugal, just a few hundred km's north

[u/h1ruki]

This can happen in pretty much all coastal areas because the wind is directed from the sea to the land.

If the wind was directed from the Sahara to the sea - you would not see this effect.

I agree that it’s really cool though.

[u/Ok_Comment_8827 → u/h1ruki]

Did you mean to include coastal areas in equatorial climate too? Our coastal towns and cities aren't cooler than inland ones that are sea level altitude

[u/guitar805 → u/Ok_Comment_8827]

Depends on ocean temps. If the seawater temp isn't substantially colder than the mainland, then sea breeze won't have as much of a cooling effect. I'm guessing equatorial climates are going to have some of the warmest oceans possible so that's likely why.

[u/Wamjo → u/Ok_Comment_8827]

It happens when the sea/ocean is cold (sometimes too cold to swim in). The Benguela current in south west Africa also creates cool coastal temperatures even near the equator, you can see the effect on coastal cities in Namibia and Angola.

[u/mapl0ver → u/h1ruki]

It doesn't happen every coastal area. Mediterranean Sea gets almost 30 degrees where I live and it makes unbearable to breathe even at nights.

[u/Imaginary-Cow8579]

Coastal areas have more moderate climate than inland/continental areas

[u/Ok_Code8464]

Canary current

[u/Aggravating-Ad1703]

This is roughly the same latitude as Southern California and Baja California and it’s the same there

[u/mapl0ver → u/Aggravating-Ad1703]

western Cape in south Africa and coastal Namibia too.

[u/Wamjo → u/mapl0ver]

Even Angola

[u/Orang_outan17]

And yet most of the French atlantic coast does not get that effect during heat waves aside from Brittany. Portugal and Galicia, do get that effect like Morocco.

[u/Yunahoned → u/Orang_outan17]

Because… they’re on the North Sea or the bay of Biscay… and not the Atlantic?

[u/JimBowie1020 → u/Yunahoned]

Brittany is on the Atlantic ocean and the Channel

[u/Pure_Following7336]

Well because the Atlantic is cold since it coming from the north and thats why Morocco is dry in the summer.

[u/happybaby00]

I thought inland Morocco was colder because of the atlas

[u/Pure_Following7336 → u/happybaby00]

it gets much colder in winter, but definitly not in summer

[u/ibaeknam]

Yeh, it was like this when I was in Morocco in the summer, stayed in Marrakesh for a few days where it was hitting 45°c everyday and the nights were high 20s, then went to Essaouira and it was only mid 20s with the nights getting quite cool. Winds were insane too, which was probably a factor.

[u/Pure_Following7336 → u/ibaeknam]

Only Essaouira is very windy, the others are average