Suhail Star Hidden by Humidity, But Relief From UAE Summer Heat is Near

The end of the summer in the UAE is on its way, despite high humidity preventing a sighting of the Suhail Star on Monday morning. The rising of the 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”. Temperatures will remain warm during the day for several weeks, but the evenings will gradually become cooler, and morning fog will be more noticeable.

Between 1991 and 2020, average temperatures in September ranged from 29°C to 39°C with a mean humidity of about 54 per cent. Temperatures tend to drop noticeably in October, with an average minimum of 25.5°C and maximum of 35.8°C during that same period. The winter period then follows, beginning in November. January is traditionally the coolest month of the year in the UAE, with an average minimum temperature of 15.5°C and maximum of 24.3°C between 1991 and 2020.

The Suhail star is the second-brightest star in the night sky and the main anchor of the Drour Calendar, a historical calendar that divides the 365-day year into 100-day periods, which are subsequently divided into sub-periods of 10 days, called a Dur. Known to astronomers as Canopus, the star once guided pearl divers, sailors, and fishermen as they navigated on land and at sea. The calendar itself is a traditional feature of Gulf heritage and was used to predict seasonal and weather changes long before modern meteorological systems were invented.

The Suhail star sighting is deeply embedded in national culture, signifying a period of renewal and relief, particularly from the extreme summer heat, and is frequently referenced in folklore and poems. Because of high humidity levels exceeding 80 per cent, the star was not entirely visible on Monday, but it is expected to be clearly seen in the upcoming week.