The UAE will experience its summer solstice, the longest day of the year, lasting 13 hours and 48 minutes, from June 21 to June 22, according to Astronomy and Space Sciences.
The summer solstice occurs every June 21 in most years. This year, however, the summer solstice will be on June 20 for most countries in the world at 20:51 UTC, which is the earliest solstice since 1796. For the UAE, the longest day of the year will still be on June 21.
The authorities also noted that the date of the summer solstice will also be earlier in the coming leap years.
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The third week of June sees the country transition into what is known as ‘astronomical summer’. The season starts with the summer solstice when one of Earth’s poles is tilted closest to the sun. It marks the longest day in the UAE.
“With the date of the summer solstice, the sun is perpendicular to the Tropic of Cancer at its northernmost position… while the shadow is absent at noon in the perpendicular areas, including the southern regions of the country, and the meridian shadow disappears. Throughout the Arabian Peninsula, the shortest meridian shadow is throughout the northern half of the Earth,” said Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Astronomy Society and member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences.
The chairman added that temperatures will range between 41ºC and 43ºC during the day, and 26ºC and 29ºat night. In some areas, the temperature will exceed 50ºC.
During the first half of the summer, which extends from June 21 to August 10, the weather will be generally dry weather. Hot and dry winds will be active in the northern and northwestern areas of the country. This will cause dust and sand to blow over the country, forming hot air waves that will raise the temperatures by at least four degrees.
Meanwhile, the second half of summer extends from August 11 until the autumn equinox on September 23. The country will experience high percentage of humidity along with the continued high temperature. Humid winds will blow in the country, triggering the formation of cumulus clouds on the mountain highlands and the surrounding areas. These clouds may cause thunderstorms.