January is the coldest month of the year in Marrakech: a 19.2 °C average high and a 5.9 °C average low, with 30 mm of rain over eight days and seven hours of sun a day. Nights typically fall to around 2 °C. In exchange it is the least crowded and least expensive month, with the snow-covered Atlas as a backdrop.
January in figures
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Average high | 19.2 °C | The lowest of the year |
| Average low | 5.9 °C | Genuinely cold nights |
| Coldest nights | around 2 °C | Series low: -3 °C in 2005 |
| Mildest days | around 25.5 °C | Record: 30.1 °C in 2007 |
| Rain | 30 mm over 8 days | Statistically one day in four |
| Sun | 7 h per day | 68 % of daylight hours |
| Daylight | 10 h 25 | A plan that needs tightening |
| Wind | 6.3 kph | The calmest month of the year |
Climate normals for 1991-2020 at the Marrakech station, published by Climates to Travel. These are thirty-year averages: any single year can depart from them noticeably. Properties at the foot of the Atlas sit two to three hundred metres higher and are routinely two to four degrees cooler at night.
January is the month when a whole house costs least across the year. For a birthday or a family gathering on a contained budget, this is the window to aim at.
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January's real issue: the cold at night
Thirteen degrees separate the low from the high. A 19 °C afternoon in the sun is pleasant in a shirt; the same day at 8 pm, on a terrace, calls for a coat. And because most traditional Marrakech houses were built to shed summer heat, they do not hold winter warmth.
This is the question to ask before booking, and it matters more in January than any star rating: how is the bedroom heated, and is the salon heated too? A single electric heater in one room is not enough when it is 2 °C outside. The guide to Marrakech's areas helps with the choice, and the month-by-month weather guide places January in the year.
What January offers that no other month does
The city breathes
It is the least visited month. The main sites can be seen without queuing, restaurant terraces are available without booking, and the souks are markedly less pressing. For anyone who has seen Marrakech in high season, it is a different city.
The lowest rates of the year
Outside New Year's week, January is when good addresses are most accessible. It is the right period for a whole house, a birthday or a family gathering on a contained budget: the same private hire costs appreciably less than in April. Our exclusive offers set out low-season terms.
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The Atlas at its best
January is the calmest month for wind and the air is clear. The snow-covered peaks are visible from the city on almost every clear day. For a mountain excursion the Ourika remains reachable by car, but it can freeze at altitude and snow on the passes: leave early, check the local forecast the day before, and abandon the walk if rain is expected. See the Ourika Valley day trip guide.
Building a January day
The principle is simple: exploit the 10 am to 4.30 pm window, the only genuinely mild stretch.
- A late breakfast indoors, not on the terrace.
- Sightseeing and walking between 10 am and 1 pm, while the sun is high.
- A long lunch facing south, on a terrace if it catches the sun.
- One more site, or a hammam, between 3 pm and 5 pm.
- Dinner indoors: terraces are too cold after 7 pm.
The hammam earns its place in this pattern: it is the winter activity par excellence, and the most effective way to warm up at the end of the day. The hammam and spa guide explains the sequence and the prices. The three-day Marrakech itinerary can be followed in January provided you drop one site per day.
What to pack
- A coat or a light down jacket: at 2 °C overnight, it is not excessive.
- Layers you can stack, given thirteen degrees of movement within the day.
- Warm socks and closed shoes: tadelakt floors are cold.
- A light waterproof, for the eight statistical rain days.
- Sunscreen and sunglasses: seven hours of sun a day, at 460 metres.
- Swimwear only if the pool is heated, which you should confirm first.
Who is January for?
January suits a first trip focused on the city, a couple's break with no swimming requirement, a family private hire on a controlled budget, and any traveller who prefers quiet to heat. It suits a pool holiday badly, an event with dinner outdoors badly, and anyone who feels the cold and does not check the heating before booking. Bab Akoul Medina is the most logical address in January, because everything is walkable in a short day; Bab Akoul Atlas for the views and the quiet; Bab Akoul Palmeraie for space. Marrakech in April and Marrakech in December give the points of comparison.
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Marrakech in January: frequently asked questions
How warm is Marrakech in January?
An average of 19.2 °C by day and 5.9 °C at night on the 1991-2020 normals. The coldest nights sit around 2 °C, and the series recorded -3 °C in January 2005. The mildest days reach about 25.5 °C.
Is January a good time to visit Marrakech?
Yes if you are coming for the city: few visitors, low rates, seven hours of sun a day and a snow-covered Atlas. No if you are counting on a pool or on dinners on a terrace.
Does it rain much in January?
30 mm falls over eight days, statistically one day in four, but as short showers. The month is still largely sunny.
Are riads heated in January?
It depends entirely on the property, and many have only a heater in the bedroom. This is the most important question to ask before booking in January: how are the bedroom and the salon heated?
Can you go to the Atlas Mountains in January?
Yes, the Ourika Valley stays reachable by car. But it can freeze at altitude and snow on the passes: check the forecast the day before, leave early and bring closed shoes.
What is the coldest month in Marrakech?
January, with a daily mean of 12.5 °C, a 19.2 °C high and a 5.9 °C low.
