Every September, the same question does the rounds – is summer officially over? The autumn equinox has a reputation for being the tidy line in the sand between hot and cool. But the truth is a lot messier (and a lot more interesting) than that. Turns out there isn’t just one “start of autumn,” there are three, and they don’t all agree with each other. So let’s actually unpack what the equinox is, why it doesn’t automatically mean sweater weather, and why UAE in particular is not buying it just yet.
Want To Plan Ahead? Here Is When The Next Long Weekend Is Happening In The UAE?
First, What Exactly Is An Equinox?
Twice a year, the sun crosses what’s called the celestial equator, and for that one instant, neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the sun. Both halves of the planet get roughly the same amount of daylight. This year, that moment lands on September 23, at 04:00 GST. Depending on your time zone, that can nudge the date around a little.
So Does It Actually Mark The End Of Summer?
There isn’t one single definition of when autumn begins. There are three, and they run on completely different clocks.
- Astronomical autumn is the one most people mean when they talk about “the equinox.” It’s based purely on Earth’s position relative to the sun, and this year it kicks off on September 23.
- Meteorological autumn runs on the regular calendar instead, grouping months by consistent temperature patterns. By this measure, autumn already started on September 1. Three weeks before the equinox even happens.
- Phenological autumn skips the calendar altogether and goes by what’s actually happening in nature. Leaves turning, harvests coming in, animals changing behaviour. It doesn’t arrive on a fixed date at all, and it looks completely different depending on where in the world you are.
So when someone tells you “summer’s over” on the equinox, what they really mean is “astronomical summer is over.” Meteorologists would say you’re a few weeks late to that party. And if you’re going by what’s actually happening outside your window, well… that depends entirely on your window.
Which Brings Us To UAE
If you’ve stepped outside in Dubai this week, you already know where this is going. And on equinox day itself, we’re still looking at highs of around 38-39°C. With nights barely dipping below the high 20s. Meteorologists here technically called the end of summer back on September 1. The same nationwide “meteorological autumn” marker used everywhere else. But try telling that to anyone whose car door handle is still too hot to touch at 4pm. Not to mention every person who wears glasses and steps out from a cold building straight into the humidity.
The reality is, the shift away from winter will happen gradually, and it’ll only happen way later than the equinox would have you believe. October is where you’ll likely start to feel it. Highs ease down to around 34-35°C, evenings cool to a genuinely pleasant 24-27°C, and humidity finally starts to lift.
This is also roughly when Dubai’s unofficial “outdoor season” kicks in. I’m talking terraces fill back up, evening walks stop feeling like a dare, and things like the Dubai Fitness Challenge start lighting up the calendar. November is where it really settles into something you’d comfortably call autumn, with daytime highs dropping into the low 30s and nights cooling further still.
So hang in there folks, we still have a long way to go and until we start to feel any real temperature changes.
