Morocco issues orange alert for storms, hail in 12 provinces
Morocco's Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM) has warned of thunderstorms with hail and strong winds across 12 provinces on Monday and Tuesday.
Morocco's weather is set to turn stormy on Monday and Tuesday, with thunderstorms bringing hail and strong winds, under an orange-level weather alert issued by the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM) covering 12 provinces across the south, the Sahara and the Atlas.
Monday: storms in the south and Sahara
The DGM forecasts thunderstorm showers of 20 to 30mm, from 1pm to 11pm on Monday, in the provinces of Es-Semara, Oued Ed-Dahab, Boujdour and Assa-Zag, accompanied by hail and strong gusts of wind under the thunderclouds. These amounts are significant for these desert and semi-desert provinces, where they can trigger sudden flows in dry riverbeds within a short period.
Tuesday: rain moves toward the Atlas
The system shifts on Tuesday, from 10am to 11pm, to the provinces of Ouarzazate, Tinghir, Zagora, Al Haouz, Azilal, Errachidia, Midelt, Tata, and again Assa-Zag, with larger amounts of 30 to 40mm, according to the same DGM bulletin.
| Day | Hours | Provinces affected | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Nov 2 | 1pm - 11pm | Es-Semara, Oued Ed-Dahab, Boujdour, Assa-Zag | 20 - 30 |
| Tuesday, Nov 3 | 10am - 11pm | Ouarzazate, Tinghir, Zagora, Al Haouz, Azilal, Errachidia, Midelt, Tata, Assa-Zag | 30 - 40 |
What do the three alert levels mean?
The DGM runs a three-level vigilance system based on the severity of the weather phenomenon: yellow for general awareness, orange for a dangerous phenomenon that could affect safety, and red for imminent danger requiring exceptional measures. The current bulletin is at the orange level; the DGM had not issued any red alert tied to this episode at the time of publication.
This rain episode comes at the start of winter, a period when storm and hail alerts become more frequent in Morocco, especially in mountainous and desert areas. The DGM is urging residents in the affected provinces to follow weather updates closely and remain cautious while the alert is in effect, to avoid any risks linked to the thunderstorms and wind gusts.