By Hillary Asemota
In keeping to its continual update on weather and climate activities as enshrined in its mandate, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) over the week end forecast rains and across the country beginning from today (Monday).
True to its 2021 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction, the country has witnessed all the indices and variabilities concerning the delayed rain, dry spell, abnormal rain in some parts of the Northern flanks and Central of the country, with Katsina recently witnessing a single day event of over 100 millimeters of rain and that has never happened in the last 100 years. This, the DG, Prof. Mansur Matazu, pointed out that it evidently shows that this extreme event is being driven by climate change.
Issuing the release on Sunday at its Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, the agency’s weather outlook in Abuja forecasts the Northern region to experience isolated thunderstorms over parts of Taraba, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna and Kano state during the morning hours on Monday.
The thunderstorms, NiMet asserts is expected in parts of Kebbi, Sokoto, Borno Kebbi, Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba and Borno states later in the day.
NiMet said: “Rains are expected over parts of Benue, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory during the morning hours. Further, into the day, thunderstorms are expected over Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory.
“Cloudy skies are envisaged over the inland and the coastal regions in the morning with chances of rains over parts of Enugu, Anambra, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom.
“Rains are anticipated over parts of Edo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ado, Imo, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Lagos and Rivers State during the afternoon and evening hours, “ it said.
The agency said there will occurrences of thunderstorms in Taraba, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara State in the morning hours on Tuesday. It forecast thunderstorms over parts of Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Taraba, Adamawa, and Bauchi State later in the day.
In the same breath, NiMet forecast cloudy skies to prevail over the North-central region with the likelihood of rains in Nasarawa and Benue states.
NiMet, said: “Cloudiness is anticipated with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Kogi, Niger, Kwara, Plateau, and Federal Capital Territory during the afternoon and evening hours.
“It should be predominantly cloudy over the inland and the coastal cities of the South with chances of rains over parts of Cross River, Ogun, Oyo, Rivers and Lagos state in the morning hours.
“During the afternoon and evening hours, rains are anticipated over parts of Ebonyi, Abia, Ondo, Anambra, Imo, Oyo, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers State.”
