Key Points

• NiMet forecasts dust haze and thunderstorms nationwide.

• Dust haze, thunderstorms may disrupt flights and visibility.

• NiMet urges caution as dry season conditions set in.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has sent out a weather alert for the whole country, saying that dust haze and thunderstorms are expected in many areas. This means that the harmattan season is slowly starting to arrive.

Professor Charles Anosike, the agency’s Director-General, made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja. He warned that if people don’t take precautions, visibility, air quality, and public health could all be affected.

NiMet’s report said that the country is going through a very important time of change right now, with strong winds from the Sahara coming from the north and warm, moist air from the Atlantic coming from the south. Anosike says that the unstable weather that is expected over the next few days is caused by the collision of these air masses.

Dust storms and thunderstorms are causing problems in important areas

NiMet’s most recent bulletin said that northern states like Sokoto, Maiduguri, Katsina, Kano, and Nguru will have moderate to thick dust haze, and in some places, visibility will drop below 1,000 meters. There will be isolated thunderstorms and hazy weather in the central region, which includes Abuja, Minna, Jos, and Lokoja. In the southern states, such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Uyo, and Benin City, there may be heavy rain and lightning strikes.

The dust haze and thunderstorms could disrupt flight operations, delay transportation, and affect agricultural activities, especially for farmers drying produce in open spaces. NiMet also told people with asthma and other breathing problems to stay inside as much as possible because the air quality could get worse in the next few days.

NiMet warns as the dust haze gets thicker all over the country

Professor Anosike said that the dust haze and thunderstorms are signs that the Intertropical Discontinuity (ITD), an important meteorological line that separates the dry and moist air masses over West Africa, is moving south. “We’re seeing the first signs of harmattan, and it’s important for Nigerians to get ready for the problems that come with it, like less visibility, dry skin, and bad air quality,” he said.

The agency also told drivers to use their fog lights and not speed when visibility is low. To lower the risks of bad weather, aviation operators were told to always talk to air traffic controllers and follow NiMet’s flight advisory systems.

People are being told to pay attention to NiMet’s warnings

NiMet said again that its weather warnings are based on real-time satellite observations and ground station data from more than 100 monitoring sites across the country. The agency also talked about how it worked with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to improve how early warnings are sent out.

Meteorologists say that the transition period could last until November, when the harmattan fully sets in across the northern belt. Temperatures in cities like Kano and Katsina are expected to drop below 18°C at night. In the south, thunderstorms may continue to happen late in the season.

As the dry season gets closer, NiMet told people to put safety first, drink plenty of water and check its daily forecasts on the radio, TV and social media. Anosike said, “Preparation is key.” “Thunderstorms and dust haze may happen naturally, but how they affect us depends on how ready we are.”