RIYADH: Al-Wasim season, which marks the beginning of autumn in the Kingdom, will start on Monday with a steady dip in temperatures, according to Saudi astronomer Khalid Al-Zaaq. In a tweet, the expert said the season, which lasts for almost 52 days, was considered the mildest in the Arab world and Gulf areas. “We are living in a transitional phase and with Al-Wasim season approaching, the temperature in general in the Gulf countries will be between 25 and 35 degrees. “While Al-Wasim season approaches, humidity starts to decrease on all Gulf coasts. Al-Wasim indicators are still weak in the northern, central, and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. “The weather is refreshed in parts of the western region such as Makkah, Madinah, and Taif. It is semi-refreshed in the southwest part of the Kingdom in Jazan, Asir, and Taif, and is active on Oman’s coasts,” Al-Zaaq added. The current season of Suhail, known as Canopus in English, usually extends over a period of 53 days. Suhail is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina, and the third-brightest star in the night sky after Sirius and the Sun. The Arabian calendar is lunar as it corresponds to change of season when it comes to harvest, summer, and winter, and other changes in weather and environmental circumstance. The other 12 seasons on this lunar calendar are Merbeaaniyah, Shabat, Aqaarib, Hamim, Theraan, Kanna, Thurayyah, Tawbee, first and second Jawza, Merzam, and Klaibain.BACKGROUND • While Al-Wasim season approaches, humidity starts to decrease on all Gulf coasts. • The weather is refreshed in parts of the western region such as Makkah, Madinah, and Taif. Throughout history, Arabs have looked forward to Al-Wasim, a season of rain and weather changes, which comes after months of heat, drought, and air stability. Seasonal signs include migratory birds passing over the Arabian Peninsula, the start of the honey harvest, cloud movements observed from west to east, mild weather especially during the night, and waves of dust that slowly descend toward the entire region. This year, due to COVID-19 and nationwide lockdown, citizens have been discovering the natural wonders of the Kingdom by traveling to local destinations, camping in the cool southwestern mountains, picnicking under the stars at Wadi Hanifah in Diriyah, and biking. Sarah Hasan, a Saudi public-school teacher, said that she had enjoyed having picnics in her neighborhood park. “Since the weather started to cool down at night, I have been taking my kids to the park near my house every Thursday,” she told Arab News. “I believe that parks in general are much safer for my kids during the pandemic. You can apply social distancing easily in a park. The park’s playground is sometimes crowded, so my kids take their own bikes and toys and I do some jogging.”