Laayoune climate
Laayoune (Western Sahara) has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh). The average temperature over the year is 21 °C69 °F, and about 146 mm5.7 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Laayoune climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2271 | 1050 | 1660 | 160.6 |
| Feb | 2373 | 1151 | 1762 | 170.7 |
| Mar | 2577 | 1254 | 1965 | 140.6 |
| Apr | 2678 | 1457 | 2068 | 70.3 |
| May | 2781 | 1560 | 2170 | 40.2 |
| Jun | 2985 | 1762 | 2374 | 30.1 |
| Jul | 3188 | 1864 | 2576 | 30.1 |
| Aug | 3290 | 1966 | 2578 | 70.3 |
| Sep | 3187 | 1966 | 2576 | 70.3 |
| Oct | 2984 | 1763 | 2374 | 331.3 |
| Nov | 2577 | 1458 | 2067 | 220.9 |
| Dec | 2272 | 1152 | 1762 | 110.4 |
| Year | 3290 | 1050 | 2169 | 1465.7 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63% | 42% | 3.9 | 10:36 |
| Feb | 65% | 41% | 4.8 | 11:12 |
| Mar | 65% | 44% | 6.0 | 11:56 |
| Apr | 65% | 48% | 6.8 | 12:47 |
| May | 64% | 47% | 7.3 | 13:28 |
| Jun | 64% | 46% | 7.3 | 13:50 |
| Jul | 66% | 59% | 6.8 | 13:41 |
| Aug | 65% | 56% | 6.5 | 13:06 |
| Sep | 66% | 45% | 6.0 | 12:17 |
| Oct | 67% | 47% | 5.0 | 11:28 |
| Nov | 67% | 47% | 4.0 | 10:46 |
| Dec | 65% | 44% | 3.6 | 10:26 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Laayoune is like
The warmest month is August, with an average high of 32 °C90 °F and a low of 19 °C66 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 22 °C71 °F and lows 10 °C50 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 9.8 °C17.6 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is very dry, with only 146 mm5.7 in of precipitation in an average year. The wettest three-month stretch is October–December, which brings 46% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: December–September. The wettest month is October (33 mm1.3 in), the driest is June (3 mm0.1 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 63% in January to 67% in November. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 41%) are typical of February. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 13 km/h (8 mph) in November to 22 km/h (14 mph) in July. Daylight lasts from about 10.4 hours in December to 13.8 hours in June.
Best time to visit Laayoune
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are October–June: average highs of 22 °C71 °F to 29 °C85 °F with 3 mm0.1 in to 33 mm1.3 in of precipitation per month.
The most challenging month is August, which is hot, with average highs of 32 °C90 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Laayoune
- Winter (December–February) — highs 2271 to 23 °C73 °F, lows 1050 to 11 °C52 °F, about 15 mm0.6 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 2577 to 27 °C81 °F, lows 1254 to 15 °C60 °F, about 8 mm0.3 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Summer (June–August) — highs 2985 to 32 °C90 °F, lows 1762 to 19 °C66 °F, about 4 mm0.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 2577 to 31 °C87 °F, lows 1458 to 19 °C66 °F, about 21 mm0.8 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
How Laayoune compares
Compared with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, about 244 km to the northwest, Laayoune is on average 0.7 °C1.3 °F warmer and receives 7% less precipitation (146 mm5.7 in vs 157 mm6.2 in). The difference is largest in August (2.9 °C5.2 °F warmer).
Places in other countries with the most similar temperature and rainfall pattern: Guelmim (Morocco, BWh), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain, BWh) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain, BSh).
Nearby places
- Telde 239 km · 20 °C68 °F · 157 mm6.2 in
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 244 km · 20 °C68 °F · 157 mm6.2 in
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife 336 km · 21 °C70 °F · 220 mm8.7 in
- Guelmim 369 km · 21 °C69 °F · 197 mm7.8 in
- Dakhla 474 km · 20 °C68 °F · 40 mm1.6 in
- Agadir 505 km · 23 °C74 °F · 267 mm10 in
- Safi 689 km · 19 °C66 °F · 347 mm14 in
- Marrakesh 708 km · 21 °C70 °F · 291 mm11 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Laayoune?
August is the warmest month in Laayoune, with an average high of 32 °C (90 °F) and an average low of 19 °C (66 °F).
What is the coldest month in Laayoune?
January is the coldest month, with an average high of 22 °C (71 °F) and an average low of 10 °C (50 °F).
When does it rain the most in Laayoune?
October is the wettest month with about 33 mm (1.3 in) of precipitation; June is the driest with about 3 mm (0.1 in).
What is the best time to visit Laayoune?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are October–June.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station, so they can differ from airport records — most of all on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.