| Year | Date | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 20 March 2027 | Saturday |
| 2028 | 20 March 2028 | Monday |
Astronomical spring begins at the March equinox, around 20 March, when day and night are close to equal everywhere on earth. In the Emirates the date carries a second meaning: the Arab Mother's Day is fixed to the equinox on 21 March, which makes the arrival of spring a family date rather than only an astronomical one.
Spring here is short. March is one of the pleasantest months of the year, with daytime temperatures in the high twenties and evenings that still need a light layer, but by the second half of April the heat is already establishing itself and by May the summer pattern has taken over. Anyone planning something outdoors treats March and early April as the closing window rather than the opening of a long season.
It is also the windy part of the year. The shamal blows out of the north-west in spring, lifting dust across the whole country, cutting visibility on the main roads and putting a haze over the skyline for days at a time. School sports days, desert trips and outdoor events are routinely rearranged around it.
The countdown runs to the equinox date and then begins counting towards the following year's, so the page never expires on the day it points at.
Common questions
When does spring begin in the Emirates?
At the March equinox, around 20 March. It is a short season — by late April the summer heat is already establishing itself.
What is the shamal?
A north-westerly wind that blows most often in spring, lifting dust across the country, cutting visibility on the roads and putting a haze over the skyline for days at a time.
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