Is the worst of UAE summer behind us? The key dates explained

Dubai: For UAE residents waiting for the first real break from summer, the answer depends on which calendar you follow, and whether you mean the official end of the season or the point when the most intense heat finally begins to ease.

Astronomically, summer will continue until September 23, when the autumnal equinox occurs and the Sun crosses the equator heading south, according to Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society and a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences. 

Meteorologically, however, summer runs from June 1 until August 31 each year, based on the seasonal calendar used to track average temperature patterns.

But neither date means cooler weather will arrive overnight.

Are we past the worst of the heat? Not quite

The UAE has passed one important marker in the traditional Gulf summer calendar, but the final stretch of intense heat is still under way.

Al Jarwan said the season known as Jamrat Al Qayz officially ended with the rising of the star Al Kulaybin at dawn on August 11.

Al Kulaybin is regarded as the last of the stars associated with Qayz, or the intense summer heat. But its appearance does not signal an immediate end to the harsh conditions.

Instead, it begins a 26-day period traditionally known among Bedouin communities as Markhiyat Al Qalaid, which runs from August 11 to September 3 and is considered the final season of Qayz.

According to Al Jarwan, this period can still bring some of the harshest conditions of summer because the ground has absorbed and retained intense solar heat over the preceding weeks.

That means the UAE is now in the closing stage of peak summer rather than safely beyond it.

What changes after August 11?

The transition is gradual.

Al Jarwan said the effects associated with the approaching appearance of the star Suhail begin to emerge during this period, including changes in vegetation, cooling beneath the soil surface and the formation of morning dew.

Suhail becomes visible before dawn from around August 24 in the south-eastern sky. Traditionally, its appearance has been regarded across the Gulf as a sign that the fiercest summer heat is beginning to break.

But the arrival of Suhail is a seasonal marker, not a switch to cool weather. Temperatures remain high, while humidity can become more noticeable and morning fog and dew more frequent.

Desert areas may also begin to experience somewhat milder nights as the seasonal transition progresses.

Why does late summer feel different?

Before the start of summer, Al Jarwan divided the UAE season into two broad phases.

The first runs from June 21 to August 10 and is generally characterised by dry conditions, active winds and average daytime temperatures of about 41°C to 43°C, with night-time averages of around 27°C to 31°C.

During this period, the summer Al Barah winds, predominantly northerly and north-westerly, can stir dust and move sand dunes. Hot and dry Samoom winds can also occur, while heatwaves may push temperatures at least 3°C above normal for several consecutive days and, in some locations, above 50°C.

The second phase begins on August 11 and continues until the autumnal equinox on September 23.

Temperatures remain high, but the character of the weather changes as greater amounts of moisture move into the region.

The humid Al Kous winds become more active, helping to encourage the development of convective clouds over the Hajar Mountains and surrounding areas. These clouds can bring summer thunderstorms and rain locally known as Al Rawaih.

So while late August marks progress through the summer calendar, it can also bring a more uncomfortable combination of high temperatures and humidity.

When does summer officially end?

There are two useful answers.

Under the meteorological definition, summer ends on August 31. This system divides the year into fixed three-month seasons based broadly on annual temperature cycles.

Astronomical summer lasts longer, ending on September 23 with the autumnal equinox.

At that point, day and night are approximately equal in length as the Sun moves across the equator towards the Southern Hemisphere.

After the equinox, the seasonal decline in temperatures continues, while humidity, fog and morning dew become increasingly characteristic of the transition towards cooler conditions.

What about Suhail?

For generations in the Gulf, Suhail has provided a more practical seasonal marker than a date on a calendar.

Its appearance around August 24 is traditionally associated with the beginning of the gradual weakening of the severe summer heat.

That does not mean residents should expect cool days from late August. Instead, the changes unfold over weeks: the ground gradually loses stored heat, nights begin to soften, dew becomes more common and extreme temperatures slowly become less persistent.

The bottom line

Summer is entering its final phase in the UAE, but the intense heat is not yet over.

Jamrat Al Qayz ended on August 11, but Markhiyat Al Qalaid, the last season of Qayz, continues until September 3.

Suhail begins appearing from around August 24, offering the first traditional sign that the severe heat is beginning to weaken. Meteorological summer ends on August 31, while astronomical summer continues until September 23.

So the UAE is moving towards autumn, but the change will be measured in gradual shifts in temperature, humidity and night-time conditions rather than an abrupt end to summer.