Hyderabad, April 29 -- Saudi Arabia's National Centre for Meteorology (NCM) has said the annual Haj pilgrimage will return to the summer season after around 25 years as the Islamic lunar calendar continues to shift through the seasons.

In a post on X, NCM spokesman Hussein Al-Qahtani said Haj is entering a spring phase that will last for the next eight years, ending a run of pilgrimages held during periods of intense summer heat.

The dates of Haj are set by the Hijri calendar, which is shorter than the Gregorian year by around 10 to 11 days. This causes the pilgrimage to move earlier each year and complete a full seasonal cycle over time.

Authorities said the transition is expected to bring milder temperatures for pilgrims travelling t...