UAE summer over? Sight of Suhail star suggests end to peak heat

Dawn sighting symbolically marks conclusion of most intense heat and arrival of cooler weather

People go out and about during Dubai's sizzling summer. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Summer in the UAE looks like it is coming to an end, with the Suhail star sighted across the Gulf on Sunday.

The rising of this star in the southern sky is a celestial event tracked by astronomers across the Middle East. Symbolically, it marks the end of the extreme heat of peak summer and heralds the approach of cooler conditions. According to Arab folklore, the night “cools down” when “Suhail rises”.

Known to astronomers as Canopus, Suhail is a giant, yellowish-white star in the constellation Carina, about 313 light-years from Earth. It is the second-brightest star in the night sky.

However, despite the historical and cultural significance of the star, these changes will not be immediate. September will still probably be hot and humid.

Seasonal temperatures

Between 1991 and 2020, average temperatures in September ranged from a minimum of about 29°C to a maximum of about 39°C. This is combined with humidity, which hits an average of about 54 per cent.

October tends to be the month when temperatures noticeably drop from the summer peak, with a minimum average of 25.5°C and maximum of 35.8°C between 1991 and 2020. The winter period follows, beginning in November.

January is traditionally the coolest month of the year, with an average minimum temperature of 15.5°C and maximum average temperature of 24.3°C between 1991 and 2020.

Where is Suhail?

Only Sirius is brighter than Suhail in the UAE night sky.

Also known as the Star of Yemen, its appearance aligns with the ancient Al Drour calendar, which segments the year into distinct phases, each spanning 100 days.

It is situated an estimated 545 light years away.