Climate Change Chart of Ouarzazate, Morocco

Overview of climate changes

Temperature changes

Monthly mean temperature was higher on average across calendar months in the more recent period, with a difference of +1.47 °C. This is an unweighted comparison of monthly means, not a day-weighted annual average or a measure of daytime maximum temperatures. The largest monthly increase was in October, at a difference of +2.63 °C compared with the earlier reference period. That monthly contrast highlights one particularly pronounced change; it does not imply the same difference in every month.

Changes in sunshine duration

Mean daily sunshine duration, averaged across calendar months, had a difference of -0.24 hours/day in the more recent period. This unweighted mean describes the aggregate of monthly averages, rather than a day-weighted annual figure or a change shared by every month. The largest monthly decrease occurred in August, with a difference of -0.70 hours/day. By comparison, December recorded the largest monthly increase, at a difference of +0.12 hours/day; daily sunshine values therefore varied in direction across the selected monthly contrasts.

Changes in rainfall

Mean daily rainfall averaged across calendar months had a difference of +0.03 mm/day in the more recent period. This small positive mean difference summarizes the monthly averages without suggesting that rainfall increased in every month; the figures are daily means, not monthly totals. November had the largest monthly increase, a difference of +0.47 mm/day. In contrast, the largest monthly decrease was in October, at a difference of -0.38 mm/day. These contrasting month-specific results show why the across-month mean should not be read as a uniform change.

Changes in snowfall

Mean daily snowfall averaged across calendar months had a difference of +0.02 mm/day in the more recent period. This is an unweighted mean of monthly averages, not a day-weighted annual total, and it does not imply an increase in every month. The largest monthly increase was in January, at a difference of +0.45 mm/day. The largest monthly decrease occurred in February, with a difference of -0.18 mm/day. These are changes in mean daily snowfall, not monthly snowfall totals.