Summer's Fiery Embrace: Bahrain Enters Longest Day, Shortest Night

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

For many Bahrainis, summer is a season of contrasts. It brings the delight of long, sun-filled days and the freedom of school holidays. Yet, it also brings the challenge of enduring the intense heat, testing both physical and mental resilience.

This year, the summer is expected to be even more taxing, with temperatures already soaring in the weeks leading up to its official start. As the sun reaches its peak tonight, signalling the beginning of astronomical summer, Bahrainis gear up for a season that will push their endurance to the limit.
 
Recent days have seen a significant rise in temperatures as Bahrain braces for the official start of summer, which begins today, Thursday, at 11:50 p.m. local time.
 
Yesterday's maximum temperature hit 46 degrees centigrade (114 F), exceeding the 45 degrees forecast by weather websites. The high temperatures were coupled with rising humidity, which surpassed 80% yesterday and is expected to climb further tomorrow, reaching over 85% along with a temperature of 44 degrees centigrade.
 
Temperatures are predicted to continue rising in the coming days, with Sunday's high expected to reach 45 degrees centigrade.
 
Astronomy researcher Mohammed Redha Al-Asfour explained that summer is the longest season of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, lasting 93 days, 15 hours, and 52 minutes. He noted that today marks the astronomical peak of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, featuring the longest day and shortest night of the year.
 
During this period, daylight hours will start to gradually decrease, while in the Southern Hemisphere, this day marks the peak of winter, characterised by the shortest day and longest night. Night hours will also begin to gradually decrease.
 
On the first day of summer in Bahrain, the sun will rise at 4:45 a.m. from the farthest point of the northeast and set at 6:32 p.m. from the farthest point of the northwest. Midday will occur at exactly 11:39 a.m., marking the longest daylight period of 13 hours and 47 minutes and the shortest nighttime period of 10 hours and 13 minutes of the year.
 
Al-Asfour highlighted that the first day of summer will witness the shortest shadow of the year as the sun reaches its zenith at noon, with its rays perpendicular to regions situated on the Tropic of Cancer.

He explained that the Earth's North Pole is inclined towards the sun, and owing to the Earth's axial tilt of 23.5 degrees, the sun's rays will be angled over areas situated on the Tropic of Capricorn, signifying the commencement of winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
 
With the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, areas north of the Arctic Circle will experience 24 hours of sunlight daily, as the sun does not set there in a phenomenon known as the "midnight sun."

At the same time, the Southern Hemisphere will witness the winter solstice, with some areas south of the Antarctic Circle experiencing a 24-hour night period as the sun remains unseen during this time of year, a phenomenon known as "polar nights."