When will the UAE's peak summer end? August 24 marks the turning point

Abu Dhabi: The UAE and the wider Arabian Peninsula will enter the final phase of the peak summer season on August 11, with the rising of the Al Kulaybin stars marking the beginning of Marakhiyat Al Qalaid, the last period of the traditional qayz (peak summer), according to Emirati astronomer Ibrahim Al Jarwan.

Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society and a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, said the period extends from August 11 to September 3 and represents the closing stage of the region's hottest season.

Despite signalling the final phase of summer, the beginning of Marakhiyat Al Qalaid remains among the hottest days of the year, as the intense heat accumulated in the ground and atmosphere during the preceding weeks continues to influence weather conditions.

The period takes its name from a traditional Bedouin expression describing the severe heat and thirst experienced at the end of summer. 

Historically, it referred to the loosening of the rope tied around a camel's neck after the animal had travelled long distances in extreme heat, while date farmers also used the expression to describe heavy bunches of ripening dates drooping under the weight of their fruit shortly before harvest.

Al Jarwan said the next major seasonal marker will come on August 24, when the star Suhail (Canopus) becomes visible before dawn above the south-eastern horizon. 

For generations, the appearance of Suhail has been regarded across the Arabian Peninsula as the beginning of the gradual retreat of the intense summer heat.

Its annual rising is traditionally associated with a gradual decline in temperatures, higher humidity, the formation of early morning fog and cooler nights, particularly in inland desert areas. 

Around 45 days later, night and day become nearly equal in length, marking the gradual arrival of autumnal conditions, while winter traditionally begins around 100 days after Suhail's appearance, Al Jarwan said.

He noted that people across the Arabian Peninsula have long relied on the rising of stars such as Suhail to determine the changing seasons, rainfall patterns and the onset of hotter or cooler weather, making them an important part of the region's cultural and astronomical heritage.