The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization has issued a warning regarding the severe drought Morocco experienced in 2023, labeling it as historic. The organization reported that rainfall levels fell to unprecedented lows, especially along Morocco’s northern coastal areas, with similar impacts seen in Tunisia and Algeria.
This climate shift is also affecting regions such as southern Cameroon, Ethiopia’s highlands, northern Madagascar, Zambia, eastern Angola, and southern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In its September report on the “State of Climate in African Nations 2023,” the organization noted that the extreme temperatures of 2023 exceeded the 1991-2020 average across the continent. Despite the significant temperature increase, there remains uncertainty about the exact data in some parts of Africa.
Northwest Africa, particularly Morocco, witnessed the most extreme temperatures, with the city of Agadir reaching a record-breaking 50.4°C in the summer of 2023. Tunisia also saw extreme heat, with temperatures soaring to 49°C.
The report highlighted that North Africa experienced the most significant temperature anomalies in 2023 compared to other African regions, with temperatures rising 0.84°C above the 1991-2020 average and 1.68°C higher than the 1961-1990 average.
