NIMET PREDICTS DUST HAZE, RAINFALL ACROSS NIGERIA, WARNS OF POSSIBLE FLOODING

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast varying weather conditions, including dust haze and rainfall, across several parts of the country from Monday to Wednesday, urging Nigerians to stay alert and take necessary precautions.

In its weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja, NiMet projected slight dust haze with good visibility over Borno, Zamfara, northern Kaduna, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina States on Monday. The agency also predicted isolated thunderstorms and light rain over parts of Taraba and Adamawa States later in the day.

According to the forecast, the central region will experience sunny skies with patches of clouds, while isolated thunderstorms and light rains are expected in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasarawa, and Kogi States.

NiMet stated, “Cloudy conditions are expected in the southern region on Monday morning, with isolated thunderstorms and light rains over Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States. Later in the afternoon and evening, moderate rainfall is anticipated in Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Ondo, Osun, Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Edo, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.”

On Tuesday, the agency projected continued slight dust haze across the northern states, while Taraba and Adamawa may experience isolated thunderstorms and light rain throughout the day. The central region is expected to witness sunny skies with intermittent clouds, early morning thunderstorms in Benue, and moderate rains later in FCT, Nasarawa, and Kogi.

In the southern states, NiMet forecast cloudy skies with moderate rainfall in Rivers, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Akwa Ibom in the morning, intensifying later in the day.

The agency issued a warning of possible flooding in parts of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Cross River States, urging local authorities to activate emergency response measures where necessary.

For Wednesday, NiMet predicted sunny skies over most of the northern region, with isolated thunderstorms and light rain expected later in the day, especially over Taraba State. The central region will experience sunny skies with patches of clouds, while isolated thunderstorms are likely over Kogi and the FCT.

In the south, cloudy conditions are expected in the morning, followed by thunderstorms and moderate rains in the afternoon and evening across Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Delta, and Akwa Ibom States.

NiMet further warned of a high risk of flash floods, advising motorists to exercise caution while driving in the rain and calling on authorities in vulnerable areas to implement flood control measures immediately.

The agency also urged individuals with asthma and respiratory conditions to minimize outdoor exposure due to dust particles in northern Nigeria, while airline operators were advised to obtain airport-specific weather reports from NiMet for flight planning.

The public is encouraged to follow NiMet’s official updates via its website and social media channels for real-time weather information.