Spring rains, extremes, and risks in northern Morocco: Fluctuations and trends (March 2024)

The objective of this study is to examine the climatic conditions during this short rainy period and analyze the various atmospheric conditions responsible for the extreme precipitation recorded. It also examines the risks they posed in terms of flooding and property damage. The focus is on total monthly precipitation and daily maximums, with March holding the record values. Finally, the positive and negative impacts of this exceptional period on water resource mobilization and the agricultural sector will be examined. The methodology adopted in this study aims to characterize extreme spring rainfall in the two cities of the Tangier region (Tangier and Chefchaouen) during the year 2024, particularly in March. The proposed approaches are divided into two categories: the dynamic approach to explain synoptic situations, weather types, and climatic conditions; and the analytical approach to analyze rainfall series for the year 2024 (March). In addition, the Gumbel method enabled us to determine the return periods of precipitation (1976-2024).