UAE enters final phase of peak summer heat: What to expect till August 10

Dubai: The UAE is currently experiencing one of the most intense phases of the summer season—Waghrat Al Mirzam—marking the final wave of extreme heat across the Arabian Peninsula.

According to Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society, this period lasts until August 10 and coincides with the rising of the Al Mirzam star, also known as Sirius or Al Shi’ra Al Yamaniya.

Often referred to as “Jamrat Al Qayz” or the “coal of the summer,” this phase signifies the climax of desert heat. As Al Mirzam rises in the sky, temperatures soar, after which humid air masses begin advancing, and cloud activity increases over mountainous regions like the Hajar range.

Waghrat Al Mirzam has long served as an astronomical and agricultural marker for Bedouin and desert-dwelling communities. Folk sayings passed through generations, such as “If Al Mirzam rises, gather your camels and prepare to depart,” signalled the time to return from seasonal migrations for harvest or grazing.

Astronomically, Al Mirzam (Sirius) is one of the brightest stars visible to the naked eye and belongs to the Canis Major constellation. Mentioned in the Qur’an and once worshipped by some pre-Islamic Arab tribes, Sirius boasts a surface temperature of over 24,000°C—making it far hotter and more luminous than the sun, although it lies 8.6 light-years from Earth.

While traditional wisdom links Al Mirzam’s rise to the onset of severe heat, astronomers stress that no scientific evidence confirms a direct correlation between the star's appearance and temperature spikes.

Waghrat Al Mirzam is part of a traditional seasonal calendar, with each phase lasting approximately 18 days. It follows Waghrat Al Thurayya, Waghrat Ayooq, and Waghrat Al Assaya, and precedes Waghrat Al Nujaymat (Suhail)—which signals the approach of cooler weather ahead.