The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted a mix of dust haze and rainfall across various parts of the country from Monday to Wednesday, urging residents to stay alert and take necessary precautions.
In its weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja, the agency said northern states such as Borno, Zamfara, northern Kaduna, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina would experience slight dust haze with good visibility on Monday.
It added that isolated thunderstorms with light rain were expected in parts of Taraba and Adamawa States later in the afternoon or evening.
NiMet further projected sunny skies with patches of clouds over the central region, with possible isolated thunderstorms and light rains in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasarawa, and Kogi States.
According to the forecast, “Cloudy conditions are expected in the southern region on Monday morning, with isolated thunderstorms and light rains over parts of Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States. Later in the afternoon and evening, thunderstorms with moderate rainfall are anticipated in Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Ondo, Osun, Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Edo, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.”
For Tuesday, NiMet predicted the continuation of slight dust haze with good visibility in the North, while Taraba and Adamawa may witness isolated thunderstorms and light rain throughout the day. It said the central region would remain mostly sunny with intermittent clouds, noting chances of early morning thunderstorms in Benue and moderate rain later in the day across FCT, Nasarawa, and Kogi States.
The southern region, NiMet said, would be cloudy in the morning with moderate rainfall expected over Rivers, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Akwa Ibom, which could intensify later in the day.
The agency warned of possible flooding in parts of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Cross River States, calling on local authorities to activate emergency response measures.
By Wednesday, NiMet anticipated sunny skies across the northern region, with isolated thunderstorms and light rain likely later in the day, especially over Taraba. The central region would experience sunny skies with patches of clouds, while Kogi and the FCT might see isolated thunderstorms with light rain.
“In the south, cloudy conditions are expected in the morning, followed by thunderstorms with moderate rains later in the afternoon and evening across Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Delta, and Akwa Ibom,” NiMet stated.
The agency reiterated a high risk of flash floods, urging motorists to exercise caution and advising residents in flood-prone areas to take preventive measures. It also cautioned individuals with asthma and other respiratory conditions to limit outdoor exposure due to dust particles in the atmosphere, particularly over the northern states.
NiMet advised airline operators to obtain airport-specific weather reports for flight planning and encouraged the public to stay informed through its official website and communication channels.
