Brace up! Dust haze, thunderstorms to hit Nigeria – NiMet warns

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast a mix of dust haze and cloudy weather conditions across the country from Monday through Wednesday.

In its weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja, the agency predicted slight dust haze across the northern region on Monday, with Borno and Yobe expected to experience moderate dust haze and horizontal visibility ranging between 2km and 5km.

NiMet also projected slight dust haze over the North Central region throughout the forecast period.

For the southern part of the country, the agency anticipated cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine, alongside slim chances of morning thunderstorms over parts of Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

Later in the day, thunderstorms accompanied by light rainfall are expected over parts of Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, Edo, Bayelsa, Cross River, Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom.

On Tuesday, moderate dust haze with visibility ranging from 2km to 5km is expected to persist across the northern region, while the North Central states are likely to experience slight dust haze.

The southern region is also expected to witness cloudy conditions with intervals of sunshine, as morning thunderstorms may occur over parts of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. Thunderstorms with light rains are, however, anticipated later in the day over Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Bayelsa, Cross River, Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom.

By Wednesday, thick dust haze is expected to dominate the northern and North Central regions, while cloudy conditions with intervals of sunshine are forecast for the southern states, with chances of morning thunderstorms over parts of Cross River and Akwa Ibom.

NiMet warned that dust particles will remain suspended over the northern, North Central and inland southern states, urging individuals with asthma and other respiratory conditions to take necessary precautions.

The agency also advised motorists to exercise caution while driving under rainy conditions and urged airline operators to obtain airport-specific weather reports from NiMet for effective operational planning.