September 2026 saw temperatures reach levels not recorded in more than four decades. DGM data show that the national average temperature anomaly was significantly higher than in previous record-breaking Septembers.
With an anomaly of 2.75°C, September 2026 surpassed September 1987, when temperatures averaged 1.99°C above normal, and September 2020, which recorded an anomaly of 1.78°C. The figures make last month the hottest September in Morocco since the reference series began in 1981.
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A persistent heat dome drove extreme temperatures
Several atmospheric factors contributed to the exceptional heat. The DGM pointed to the influx of tropical air masses and the Chergui, an easterly wind that carries hot, dry air from the Sahara toward the west.
The main factor, however, was the formation and persistence of a heat dome. Combined with high-pressure systems and elevated pressure in the upper atmosphere, the phenomenon caused air masses to descend toward the ground.
As the air descends, atmospheric pressure compresses it, causing it to warm through a process known as subsidence and adiabatic warming. This intensified temperatures at ground level. The duration and severity of the episode helped set several new September records.
Four cities break September temperature records
On September 3, Sidi Slimane recorded 47.1°C, exceeding its previous September high of 45.8°C, set on September 6, 1988.
Kenitra reached 45.1°C on the same day, surpassing its previous record of 44.6°C, recorded on September 4, 2006. In Sale, temperatures climbed to 44.3°C, above the previous high of 43.6°C measured on September 5, 2021.
On September 8, Laayoune also set a new monthly record, reaching 45.8°C and exceeding the 45°C recorded on September 4, 2005.
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The new figures illustrate the scale of the heat episode across Morocco. They also highlight the importance of long-term climate monitoring, which helps document extreme weather events, compare temperatures against reference-period averages and track changes in the climate.
The DGM places the episode in the wider context of global warming, which is associated with rising temperatures and more intense extreme-heat events. The agency continues to monitor and analyze climate trends to improve understanding of these phenomena and provide citizens and socioeconomic sectors with reliable, up-to-date climate information.
