Autumn, welcome to the UAE!
The autumnal equinox officially began in the northern hemisphere in the last week of September, marking a shift as the sun moves directly over the equator and heads south.
In the UAE, this means equal hours of day and night. From now on, nights will slowly grow longer as daylight shortens. Meanwhile, the northern polar regions will start to experience continuous nights, which will last until spring.
Sky constellations
Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Board Chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society and a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, stated during the early autumn evenings, people can see notable star constellations, such as the Big Dipper, Great Square of Pegasus, or Aquarius Square (referred to by Arabs) in the eastern sky.
There will also be several meteor showers visible to the naked eye under clear skies. Some Al Jarwan said that some of the meteor showers will occur in autumn, such as the Orionids from 20th to 22nd October, Leonids from 16th to 18th November, and Geminids from 13th to 15th December.
Cooler temperatures
During the autumnal equinox, temperatures begin to cool, dipping below 25°C at night and staying under 40°C during the day. From mid-October to mid-April, nighttime temperatures will drop further, going below 20°C, while daytime highs will average around 30°C from mid-November to mid-March.
Expect some rainy days too, with 22% of the year’s total rainfall occurring between early November and the end of March.
However, humidity will remain high, leading to fog and dew formation, especially between September and November. This is also the season for planting, farming, transplanting seedlings, and pruning trees, along with harvesting autumn fruits like olives, citrus, and pomegranates.
