The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has forecasted a mix of dust haze and scattered rains across Nigeria from Monday through Wednesday.
This outlook, which NiMet released on Sunday in Abuja, projects a light dust haze over the northern and north-central regions, with visibility expected to be reduced to between 2 km and 5 km during the forecasted hours.
The agency specified that, “In the North-central region, slight dust haze with localised visibility of 2km to 5km is expected during the forecast period.”
For the southern region, NiMet anticipated hazy and sunny conditions inland, with a chance of thunderstorms accompanied by light rains in the morning over parts of Lagos, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.
Moving into the afternoon and evening, the agency predicts a spread of thunderstorms with light rain affecting other parts of the South, including Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, Edo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta States.
On Tuesday, conditions are expected to remain similar, with slight dust haze and limited visibility of 2 km to 5 km in the northern and north-central regions.
According to NiMet, “slight dust haze with localised visibility of 2km to 5km is expected during the forecast period in the North-central region.”
The southern regions, meanwhile, will likely experience sunny and hazy skies inland, with patchy cloud cover over the coastal areas.
For Wednesday, the weather is set to remain dusty in the northern regions with visibility further limited by the haze, and NiMet reiterated, “In the North-central region, slight dust haze with localised visibility of 2km to 5km is expected during the forecast period.”
Southern areas should expect sunny and hazy skies inland with some cloud patches over coastal states, while later in the day, moderate rains with thunderstorms are anticipated across parts of Lagos, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom.
NiMet cautioned the public to take precautions due to suspended dust particles, especially those with respiratory conditions like asthma, who may be more vulnerable to the current air quality.
The agency warned that “strong winds may precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur; public should take adequate precaution.”
Furthermore, NiMet advised airline operators to obtain detailed, airport-specific weather reports from the agency for better planning and emphasized that residents should remain updated through its regular bulletins.
“Adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities,” NiMet urged, also encouraging Nigerians to “stay informed through weather updates from NiMet. Visit our website,” for more information.
