UAE temperatures near 50°C: When summer season will peak and end; how prayer timings will change

Temperatures in the UAE are approaching 50°C, with Monday seeing a scorching high of 49.1°C. The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has been reporting temperatures of over 45°C for more than a week now. The summer season has well and truly begun.

Weather-related social media handle Storm Centre said in a recent Twitter post that a period known locally as 'Dor Al Ashar' has started. This marks the advent of what is known as ‘Qiyed’ in the ancient Arab calendar called Drour. Surface temperatures and humidity levels rise during this period.

'Qiyed' signifies the start of peak summer heat. It culminates in what is known as ‘Jamrat Al Qiyed’ (ember of heat), which is the hottest period in the Arabian Peninsula. This is expected at the start of July and goes on till August 10. It is characterised by intense heat, severe aridity, warm winds and extreme dryness. Soon after, the Suhail star rises, signalling the end of the summer. This happens around August 20.

The Drour calendar divides a year into segments of 10 days each based on when stars rise. It starts from when the Suhail star is spotted. The segments are grouped into three seasons of 100 days each — autumn, winter and spring. The remaining number of days — till the Suhail star is spotted again — marks the summer.

The Emirates Astronomical Centre had in May said that the 'Al Sharatan' star rose in the eastern sky, marking the beginning of the summer season.

Prayer timings

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, president of the Emirates Astronomical Society, posted on Twitter how the Fajr prayer timings have now reached the earliest possible point. The Fajr prayer is offered between dawn and sunrise.

• UAE weather: Partly cloudy day ahead; temperatures to hit 41°C