(Image source from: Friday is the longest day of the year?})
Friday seems to be the summer culminating point, the natural miracle that leaves a visible impression of the longest day of the year in the UAE and other countries in the northern hemisphere.
Syed Hassan, an astronomer in Al Ain brought into prominence that the daylight duration will be 13 hours, 42 minutes and 46 seconds in Dubai. The length of the day will start declining from Saturday until December 21, which will be the shortest day of the year and is known as the winter solstice. It will, nevertheless, be shorter by just two seconds on Saturday at the same time by five seconds on Sunday.
Last year the summer solstice was on June 20.
Hassan while giving particulars or information about the summer solstice can fall between June 20 and 22 expresses that it depends on the shift in the yearly calendar. The day will also fall on June 21 in 2014 and 2015.
The day officially marks the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern hemisphere, in countries such as Australia, South Africa and Chile, where Friday is the shortest day of the year. Hassan said during the summer solstice the rays of the sun will be perpendicular to the Tropic of Cancer at 23°30’ North latitude. Hassan added that it means the sun goes to the furthest point from the equator and the earth’s North Pole tilts directly towards the sun. Another prominent fact remain that the UAE is situated close to the Tropic of Cancer, where the sun shows no mercy. The daytime temperature this weekend, according to the national weather bureau, will shoot up to 47 degrees Celsius.
The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) forecast says that hot and hazy weather will continue across the UAE. There is, nevertheless, a chance of partly cloudy conditions and towering cloud in the eastern mountainous areas by afternoon. Winds are apparently destined to be slight to reasonably rough on the contrary could further in gaining speed at times. It was also explained by the NCMS that the sea will be reasonably rough yet could get rough certain times, specifically in the Gulf of Oman having humidity levels elevated during night as well as early in the morning in some coastal areas.
(AW:Samrat Biswas)
