UAE weather: Season marking begining of intense heat to start within days
The season marking the onset of intense heat in the UAE and the Arabian Peninsula will start on April 29 and continue until June 7, according to the Emirates Astronomy Society.
During this time, which is called the "Kanna of Thuraya" season, the Pleiades (Thuraya) cluster becomes hidden below sunset behind the redness of the setting sun on the western horizon by the end of April and remains obscured within the sun's glare for about 40 days.
Based on celestial calculations, Thuraya disappears at the end of April and reappears at the beginning of June.
The Kanna season marks an important phase for Arabs in the Arabian Peninsula as it is the beginning of intense heat. It signifies a transitional stage between the start of summer and the peak of its heat, said Ibrahim Al-Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society and member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences.
Temperatures during this season, which has been recognised through centuries of observation, regularly exceed 38°C, accompanied by low humidity, frequent dry northwesterly winds known as "Al-Bawareh," and rising dust storms.
The Pleiades cluster remains one of the most celebrated astronomical features across ancient civilizations, appearing as a tight grouping of stars and referred to as the "Seven Sisters" by the Greeks and "Subaru" by the Japanese.
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