The calendar says autumn starts on Wednesday, but this week’s forecast tells a different story. Astronomers mark 23 September as the beginning of the cooler season, yet the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) expects temperatures of up to 48°C in inland areas on Monday, with humid, foggy conditions through Friday.
The season starts at 4.05am on Wednesday
Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society and a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, told WAM that autumn will begin at 4.05am on Wednesday. The date marks the autumnal equinox, when the sun stands over the equator and moves southwards, giving day and night roughly equal length. About a week later, the nights begin to lengthen at the expense of daylight.
This week: still summer
The NCM forecasts fair to partly cloudy conditions on Monday, with clouds building over eastern areas that could turn convective by the afternoon. Daytime peaks are expected to reach 43°C to 48°C inland, 37°C to 42°C along the coast and islands, and 29°C to 35°C in the mountains. Humidity could climb as high as 90 per cent in coastal and inland areas.
Humidity rises overnight into Tuesday morning, bringing a chance of fog or mist over some coastal and inland areas. Tuesday stays fair to partly cloudy, with winds reaching 35 km/h. Fog or mist is again possible on Wednesday morning. Mist may form over western areas early on Thursday and along some coastal areas on Friday morning. Seas are forecast to remain slight in both the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.
A gradual cool-down
Al Jarwan’s outlook suggests the change will be gradual. At the start of the season, temperatures average around 39°C by day and 26°C by night. By early November, daytime highs ease to about 31°C, with lows near 18°C. By the end of autumn, which coincides with the winter solstice on 22 December, highs of about 25°C and lows of 13°C are expected.
Set against this week’s readings, that is a large drop, though it will come over weeks rather than overnight.
Humidity, fog and the first winter clouds
Humidity is expected to increase through the first half of the season, with fog forming in the early morning hours. That matches what the NCM is already forecasting for this week.
Al Jarwan said winter clouds should begin arriving in mid-October. The chance of rain increases after the middle of autumn.
A season for planting
The season also matters for farmers and gardeners. Al Jarwan said the first half of autumn is considered the best time for planting across the Arabian Peninsula. Seedlings are transplanted, saplings are planted and seeds are sown for the autumn agricultural season.
What residents can expect
For residents, the practical message is that the season name and the thermometer will not line up for a little while yet. Afternoons will feel like summer, and humid nights and misty mornings will be a regular feature. As always, fog calls for extra care on the road.
Outdoor plans are already returning to the calendar. Khaleej Times reports that Sharjah Safari reopens today, and Global Village’s next season opens on 14 October. Both are signs that the outdoor season is close, even if the mercury is still catching up.
