Delayed rainfall has been predicted in North-central states, according to the 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
The forecast said other areas, including the northern state of Borno and southern states like Abia and Akwa Ibom, are likely to experience a normal onset of rain compared to their long-term averages.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, read the NiMet’s prediction during the public presentation of the 2024 SCP organised by the agency, on Tuesday, February 21, in Abuja.
Keyamo stressed the importance of continuous investments in meteorological infrastructure to enhance specific weather services.
He said “I fully understand the impacts of weather on the aviation industry. Flight safety and efficient air transport operations are hugely dependent on accurate weather forecasts, advisories, and early warnings.”
“The aviation industry looks forward to continued collaboration with NiMet and the meteorological community, to utilise weather information for planning flight operations, aircraft routing, and scheduling among other applications,” he added.
The Minister observed that rainfall patterns in West Africa are closely linked to changes in the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) over the tropical Pacific Ocean, “meaning that accurate rainfall predictions for Nigeria depend on the complex interactions between the atmosphere and the ocean”
The 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) uses a standard approach that considers the teleconnection between the SST anomalies in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and the rainfall regime over Nigeria.
Keyamo continued that; “The annual rainfall amount is predicted to be below normal over parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Kebbi, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Cross River, Delta and Bayelsa states when compared to their long term normal.
“However, other parts of the country are likely to observe normal to above-normal annual rainfall amounts. Most parts of the country are expected to experience a shorter length of season, however, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa-Ibom are likely to experience a longer length of season when compared with their mean,” he said.
The NiMet’s SCP is an annual publication that provides information on the expected weather and climate conditions for the year. It is intended to guide decision-making and planning in various sectors of the economy that are sensitive to weather and climate.
