Suhail star to mark the end of summer heat in UAE

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Suhail star to mark the end of summer heat in UAE

Dubai - Suhail star will be spotted on August 20.

By Sarwat Nasir/ Web Report

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Published: Mon 6 Aug 2018, 4:42 PM

Last updated: Mon 6 Aug 2018, 6:15 PM

Temperatures are set to decrease in two weeks time, however, residents may not necessarily feel the cooler weather until September, a UAE meteorologist has said.

Astronomers in the Arab region are reporting that the Suhail star, a star that marks the cooler season in the Arab world, will be spotted on August 20.

Dr Ahmed Habib, a meteorologist at the National Centre of Meteorology in the UAE, told Khaleej Times that there will be a decrease in temperature towards the end of August, but only by one or two degrees.

"The temperature will go down, but people will not feel the cooler weather. That starts in September, when the cooler weather will actually be felt. This is the time (end of August) when people notice the temperatures going down, but wonder why they're aren't feeling it," Dr Habib said.

The CEO of the Dubai Astronomy Group, Hasan Al Harriri, told Khaleej Times that the Suhail star will be visible in the UAE on August 20.

He said it has been used by different groups over several eras as a way to mark the calendar and observe when there will be a change in weather and is a sign that summer is about to end.

"The Suhail is a star Arabs have marked as a sign of change in weather," he said.

"Spotting Suhail is easy as it is a bright star. For example, we are now in the beginning of August and Suhail, in our region, could be seen on August 20. Before the sun rises that day, Suhail can be seen on the horizon.

"But Suhail also appears in other regions. In Yemen, for example, it rises around this time - in the beginning of August. In the Northern Arab regions, for example Syria, they will see it in September. There's a difference in appearances and in the start of the Suhail calendar.

"Suhail calendar was adopted by different civilisations such as the Persians and Indians. We have a lunar year and a solar year, using the starts to measure the seasons. The name of the calendar which we are using is the Drour calendar, which starts with the view of the Suhail. The Arabs say that the appearance of Suhail means the night will become cooler. It is a clear indication that the seasons are changing from summer to autumn."

Dr Habib said the temperatures for today (August 6) and the rest of the week are likely to remain the same, with temperatues in the interior areas ranging from 42 to 48 degrees Celsius and humidity levels at 55 to 70 per cent.
Meanwhile, hot and hazy weather shall prevail during the daytime today with the possibility of clouds over some areas.

The maximum temperature was recorded at 47.7 degrees Celsius in the UAE on Sunday.
 According to the National Center of Meteorology(NCM), light to moderate winds will blow in general and may cause blowing of dust over some open lands. The sea will be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and in the Oman sea.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com


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