How long will UAE's summer season last this year?

Dubai: In two days, the summer solstice will officially mark the beginning of astronomical summer in the UAE. While June temperatures in the Emirates typically hover between 47°C and 49°C, with occasional peaks of 50°C, the solstice itself won't trigger an immediate temperature spike on that specific day.

Dubai will experience its summer solstice at 6:42 am on June 21st, ushering in the year's longest day with 13 hours and 42 minutes of sunlight. This extended daylight provides residents with substantial time for outdoor pursuits, representing nearly three additional hours of sun compared to the winter solstice on December 21, 2024, which offered merely 10 hours and 42 minutes of daylight.

Emirates Astronomy Society Chairman Ibrahim Al-Jarwan, who also serves with the Arab Union for Space and Astronomy, explains that astronomical summer commences June 21st and extends three months until September 23rd. Throughout this period, the UAE will see temperatures ranging from 41°C to 43°C, coupled with arid conditions and vigorous winds. The country's peak daylight hours occur between June 1st and 24th, stretching up to 13 hours and 43 minutes.

The National Centre of Meteorology indicates that average UAE temperatures typically climb 2°C to 3°C in June compared to May. This warming reflects a gradual seasonal progression rather than a sudden shift triggered by the solstice event.

June brings characteristically high humidity to the UAE, especially along coastal regions. This moisture significantly affects perceived temperature, often making conditions feel considerably hotter than actual readings indicate—a phenomenon meteorologists call the heat index.

Humidity levels depend largely on air mass origins. Maritime air carries greater moisture content, elevating humidity, while air masses from the country's southeastern or southwestern regions tend toward drier, more arid characteristics.

When both air temperature and relative humidity reach extreme levels simultaneously, the human body struggles to cool itself through perspiration evaporation. This physiological limitation makes people feel substantially hotter than thermometer readings suggest. Consequently, even without temperature increases on the solstice itself, the combination of elevated heat and heightened humidity creates an intensely uncomfortable thermal experience for residents and visitors alike.