TANGIER, TETOUAN
OR OUJDA?

Which city should you choose?

For a first total eclipse, start by comparing Tangier and Tetouan: both offer almost five minutes of totality at the reference points. Choose between them by the actual observing site, access and a workable backup plan. Oujda is also inside totality, but its shorter duration and proximity to the path edge make exact coordinates particularly important.

There is no guaranteed best-weather city. The cloud figures below describe a historical sample, not a forecast for 2 August 2027. A longer totality is useful only if the Sun is visible and you can reach your chosen site safely.

Local times and totality at a glance

These are the same city-centre reference calculations used in our individual city guides. Times are rounded to the minute in Africa/Casablanca; recheck civil-time rules and the exact observing coordinates before travel.

Tangier: long totality with a coastal backup plan

Tangier is a strong starting point when duration matters. Its coastal setting makes low cloud and haze relevant to the observing plan. Check an open eastern-to-southeastern sightline, then identify a lawful inland alternative you could reach before the eclipse begins.

Do not choose accommodation solely because it is advertised for the eclipse. Ask for the exact viewing coordinates and check whether nearby buildings or slopes obstruct the morning Sun.

Tetouan: similar duration, different terrain

Tetouan offers almost the same totality duration as Tangier. The surrounding relief makes the view from a specific terrace, field or roadside stop more important than the city name. Confirm permission, parking and the route before choosing a site.

Treat the few seconds separating the two reference durations as a minor factor. A clear sightline, enough space and a reliable arrival plan are more useful reasons to choose between them.

Oujda: shorter totality near the edge

Oujda offers a more inland setting, but its city-centre totality is much shorter. Near a path boundary, moving the observing point can materially change the duration or put a site outside totality. Run the exact coordinates through the calculator instead of applying the city-centre result to an entire district.

Oujda can make sense if it fits an existing itinerary or a verified site. It is not a substitute for checking totality, safe access and a morning viewing plan.

What the historical cloud sample can tell you

The figures use ERA5 reanalysis for 2 August in 2000-2025, averaged over the three local hours around eclipse maximum. The percentage is cloud cover, not the probability of seeing the eclipse. Total cloud and low cloud describe different layers and should not be added together.

This limited historical sample does not predict local haze, cloud at your venue or conditions in 2027. Use it to plan alternatives; make weather decisions only when a useful short-range forecast becomes available. The city guides and downloadable data describe the reference points and sampling method.

What about Casablanca and Rabat?

Both cities remain outside the path of totality in the published reference calculations. A very deep partial eclipse does not produce the experience of totality. If your goal is a total eclipse, compare an observing point inside the northern path rather than staying in Casablanca or Rabat and expecting the Sun to disappear.

Solar viewers must remain on throughout a partial eclipse. Optical instruments need appropriate front-mounted solar filters. Only observers confirmed inside totality may remove solar viewers during the fully covered phase, replacing them immediately when the bright Sun reappears.

A practical choice before you book

• Verify the exact coordinates and totality duration.
• Check the morning Sun's direction against buildings and terrain.
• Confirm access, parking, opening times and permission with the venue.
• Choose a backup site that does not depend on a last-minute long drive.
• Prepare shade, water and appropriate solar viewers.
• Recheck timings and forecasts as the event approaches.