Is UAE summer heat over? Weather starts cooling today as autumn brings falling temperatures

Dubai: The UAE entered meteorological autumn on Tuesday, September 1 marking the end of the summer season under the climate calendar and the beginning of a gradual decline in temperatures over the coming months.

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Astronomical Society and member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, said meteorological autumn in the Northern Hemisphere begins on September 1 and runs until the end of November.

Meteorological seasons are based primarily on typical monthly temperature patterns and are aligned with the calendar months used for climate reporting. 

The shift does not, however, mark the start of astronomical autumn, which will begin in the UAE on September 23, when the autumnal equinox occurs and the Sun crosses the celestial equator from north to south. The 2026 equinox is due at about 4.05am UAE time. 

Al Jarwan said September typically brings a noticeable easing of the summer heat. After daytime highs remained at around 42°C or above during much of the summer, temperatures on most days in September are expected to fall below 39°C, while overnight lows are expected to drop below 27°C. 

The cooling trend is expected to become more pronounced in October, when highs on most days could fall below 35°Cand lows below 22°C. By November, daytime temperatures are expected to be below 30°C on most days, with overnight readings falling below 18°C, Al Jarwan said. 

By the end of meteorological autumn, temperatures across the country could generally fall below 26°C during the day and 15°C at night, marking a substantial change from the intense heat that characterised the summer months. 

The distinction between meteorological and astronomical seasons allows climate agencies to compare temperatures and weather data across fixed three-month periods, while astronomical seasons are determined by the Earth's position in relation to the Sun and the timing of the solstices and equinoxes.