The longest day shrouded in dust

Al Ain: The mercury will reach 41 degrees celsius on Saturday, making it a very long and hot day, according to the weather bureau.

The harsh weather conditions over the past few days have forced people to stay indoors and avoid the dust and humidity.

Early morning southernly winds will keep the dust in the air around the emirates. But a late afternoon sea breeze of between 10 to 12 knots will clear the haze, improving visibility to five kilometres.

The dust, comprising very small sand particles, is expected to clear up late on Saturday.

June 21, the longest day of the year, usually has a festive significance around the globe, and in the Western Hemisphere people enjoy the optimum daylight with seasonal festivals.

The UAE Met Department said the daylight hours will be 19 hours and 23 minutes on Saturday.

Sunrise is at 5:30am and sunset at 7.08pm. The sunrise and sunset timings have a few minutes difference across the UAE.

Latitude

On this summer solstice, sunlight directly hits a tropical latitude called the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

The UAE is located in the northern hemisphere where the direct rays of the sun in June herald a harsh summer season in which maximum temperatures reach 49 degrees celsius.

"This is the most uncomfortable time of the year here," said Mohammad Usman, an Al Ain resident, adding that he has sent his family on vacation soon after the school closed for their annual summer vacation.

"People are usually stuck in their homes or at work in the UAE's summer and there is hardly any outdoor life," he said.

G.P. Singh, an Indian expatriate, said June 21 has no festive importance in the UAE, India, Pakistan and some other Asian countries due to the hot and humid conditions.