The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has warned farmers in Abuja and the adjoining North Central States who have experienced some rainfall in the last two weeks to desist from planting crops as the rainy season hasn’t commenced in these areas.
The Director General of NiMet Prof. Mansur Matazu told our correspondent that the rains that we have witnessed in Abuja and the environs are just a false onset and don’t represent the commencement of the rainy season.
“What happened in Abuja is a false onset as it was predicted in our Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) which we categorized as pre-onset activities. However, extreme southern coastal states like Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa, and a few other states have already reached their onset which we predicted was starting from March 3rd” Prof. Matazu said.
“But for Abuja, it is pre-onset activities that are temporary. Farmers should use the opportunity to do land clearing and pre-raining activities. The onset for FCT is predicted to be from late April to early May depending in the local council” he stated.
Meanwhile, as the rainy season commences in parts of the country, especially in the coastal states NiMet has warned pilots and the general public to be wary of thunderstorms and other hazardous weather events.
“NiMet predicted rainfall onset to be earlier than the long-term average in most parts of the country during the 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP). The onset is expected to start from the coastal states of Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom in early March, progressively followed by the inland states and the Central states.”. It reads” Statement signed by Muntari Yusuf Ibrahim, the GM/ Public Relations, NiMet said.
The statement noted that the recent thunderstorms recorded over parts of the coastal and inland states showed that the Agency’s prediction is on-point, reliable, and accurate.
NiMet further cautioned that for areas where thunderstorms are expected, this weather hazard can cause significant disruptions, stressing that thunderstorms can lead to turbulence, lightning strikes, strong winds, heavy rainfall, downdraught, microburst, and hailstones.
“All of these pose significant threats to safety of lives and property.
The effects of thunderstorms are more hazardous to the aviation industry, particularly aircraft operations and passengers. Thunderstorms can also cause delays, diversion and cancellations of flights, as aircraft are often grounded in the face of severe weather”.
The Agency assures pilots the aviation industry and airport users that it has installed weather monitoring systems, thunder detectors, satellite receiving ground stations and Automatic Weather System (AWS) across the airports (and other stations) nationwide as a measure to mitigate the effects of thunderstorms to the aviation industry. The Agency has also developed a variety of products and services to help track thunderstorms and its attendant hazards. The Pilot Briefing Rooms are always available for Services, it noted.
NiMet, therefore, advises all Pilots and Airline Operators to exercise caution during flight operations (during this adverse weather) due to the commencement of the rainy season.
The rains which are currently prevalent in the Southern parts of Nigeria and occasionally around the Central States, are usually accompanied by severe thunderstorms which are bound to affect air navigation. The Agency reiterated.
NiMet therefore enjoins Pilots/Flight Crew members to obtain adequate departure, enroute and destination weather information and briefing from NiMet offices prior to flight operations for effective planning in their air navigation operations
