One day left for summer to end in Saudi Arabia 

Dubai: With just one day left before summer ends in Saudi Arabia from a meteorological perspective, forecasters say the seasonal shift will not immediately bring cooler weather, as high temperatures are expected to persist through the end of September before easing in early October.

The appearance of Suhail star or Canopus in the southern sky last week has also marked, in the cultural memory of the Arabian Peninsula, the beginning of the transition from summer to autumn. 

Long regarded by desert dwellers as a herald of cooler nights and shorter days, the star’s rising is celebrated as a symbolic turning point, even as scientists stress that its influence is astronomical rather than meteorological.

That sense of seasonal change was mirrored in the skies, as heavy rains swept across parts of the kingdom yesterday and continued today. 

The National Center of Meteorology said Saturday that heavy thunderstorms would continue over parts of Jazan, Asir, Al Baha, and Mecca, bringing the risk of flash floods, hail, and dust storms, while lighter showers were forecast for Hail, Medina, Najran, and parts of the Eastern Province. 

Winds over the Red Sea were predicted to reach 55 kilometers per hour in the central sector, driving waves up to 2.5 meters, while the Arabian Gulf was expected to see lighter winds and calmer seas.