THE Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has issued a three-day weather outlook, forecasting a mix of dust haze, hazy skies, and thunderstorms across various regions from November 10 to November 12.
In its latest bulletin, published on Sunday, November 10, the agency outlined expected conditions for Northern, North Central, and Southern regions, advising the public to take precautions.
NiMet forecasts that on Monday, November 11, dust haze with similar visibility levels will persist across the Northern and North Central regions.
In the South, the agency noted that sunny and hazy conditions are expected inland, with cloudy patches predicted along the coastal states.
“In the Northern region, slight dust haze with localized visibility of 2 – 5km is expected during the forecast hours. In the North Central region, slight dust haze with localized visibility of 2 – 5km is expected during the forecast period.
“In the southern region, sunny and hazy skies are anticipated over the Inland while patches of clouds are expected over the Coastal states during the forecast period.
The weather forecast for Tuesday, November 12, indicated continued dust haze in the North and North Central regions, while hazy skies are expected inland in the Southern region, accompanied by cloudy patches along the coast.
It also stressed that thunderstorms with moderate rains are anticipated later in the day over Lagos, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom states.
“In the Northern region, slight dust haze with localized visibility of 2 – 5km is expected during the forecast hours. In the North Central region, slight dust haze with localized visibility of 2 – 5km is expected during the forecast period.
“In the southern region, sunny and hazy skies are anticipated over the Inland while patches of clouds are expected over the Coastal states. Later in the day, thunderstorms with moderate rains are anticipated over parts of Lagos, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom states,” the report added.
The agency had stated that on Sunday, November 10, a slight dust haze with visibility between 2 to 5 kilometers would affect the Northern and North Central regions.
In the southern region, sunny skies with a hazy atmosphere were envisaged in inland, while morning thunderstorms with slight rains may occur in parts of Lagos, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.
Thunderstorms with light rains could develop later in the afternoon and evening over parts of Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, Edo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta.
In its advisory, NiMet urged Nigerians to take health precautions due to the dust in the atmosphere.
“Dust particles are in suspension, public should take necessary precaution,” the agency warned, adding that people with asthma and other respiratory conditions should limit exposure.
NiMet also noted that strong winds might accompany thunderstorms in southern areas, advising residents to secure loose objects and take safety measures.
“Adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities,” the agency recommended.
For airline operators, the agency advised obtaining specific airport weather reports to ensure safe flight operations.
It further urged residents to stay informed by regularly checking NiMet’s forecasts and visiting their website.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M