Mohammedia – Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology has issued a fresh orange-level weather alert, warning that a new wave of severe and unstable weather will affect large parts of the country from Saturday through Monday, bringing heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, snowfall, strong winds, and sharply colder temperatures.
According to the updated bulletin released today, locally strong thunderstorms accompanied by hail and sporadic wind gusts are expected to begin on Saturday morning and intensify into Sunday.
Rainfall totals of between 40 and 55 millimeters are forecast in Taroudant, Chtouka Ait Baha, Essaouira, Agadir Ida-Outanane, and Inzegane-Ait Melloul between Saturday morning and Sunday midday.
Several other provinces, including Rabat, Casablanca, Salé, Marrakech, Settat, Safi, El Jadida, Khouribga, Beni Mellal, Azilal, Al Haouz, and Chichaoua, are expected to record rainfall amounts ranging from 25 to 40 millimeters over the same period.
Heavier accumulations are forecast in northern and northwestern regions later in the weekend. From Saturday afternoon through late Sunday night, rainfall totals between 40 and 70 millimeters could affect Larache, Fahs-Anjra, Taounate, Al Hoceima, Sidi Slimane, Sidi Kacem, Kenitra, Chefchaouen, M’Diq-Fnideq, Tetouan, Tanger-Assilah, and Ouezzane, raising concerns over flooding in low-lying and urban areas.
The weather alert also highlights significant snowfall in mountainous regions, starting from elevations above 1,500 meters.
Snow accumulation of between 10 and 30 centimeters is expected from Saturday afternoon through early Monday in Azilal, Midelt, Ouarzazate, Ifrane, Al Haouz, Boulemane, Khénifra, Chichaoua, Taroudant, Chefchaouen, Al Hoceima, Béni Mellal, and Tinghir, which could disrupt road traffic and isolate rural communities.
Strong wind gusts reaching speeds of 75 to 85 kilometers per hour are forecast on Sunday in several provinces, including Midelt, Kenitra, Tanger-Assilah, Ouezzane, Larache, Chefchaouen, Sidi Slimane, and Sidi Kacem.
In addition, very cold conditions are expected to settle over inland and mountainous areas, with temperatures dropping to between minus 7 and minus 3 degrees Celsius in provinces such as Midelt, Boumalne, Tinghir, Azilal, Chichaoua, Ouarzazate, Al Haouz, Taroudant, and Ifrane.
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