The 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has revealed that the onset of raining would be delayed in some parts of the country, especially the North-Central states of the country.
It added that a normal onset is likely to occur over the northern state of Borno and southern states like Abia, and Akwa Ibom states when compared to their long-term averages.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, gave the hint during the public presentation of the 2024 SCP organised by NiMet, Tuesday in Abuja.
He said 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction signifies an important contribution to the ministry’s journey towards a more resilient and sustainable future.
According to him, As the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, 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.
Keyamo stressed that through continuous investments in meteorological weather stations, satellite data, and Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), NiMet has continued to enhance aviation-specific weather services.
He noted that 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.
Keyamo stated: “Rainfall patterns in West Africa are closely linked to changes in the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) over the tropical Pacific Ocean. This means 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.
“The predictions in this edition of the SCP were based on a strong El Niño phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the first half of 2024, and the projection that the Neutral phase will most likely persist for the later part of the year. As we delve into the details of the Seasonal Climate Predictions today, let us not only see them as scientific projections but as a call to action to highlights the 2024 SCP
Keyamo further revealed that an early end of the season is predicted for parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ogun, and Lagos states.
However, he pointed out that a late cessation was predicted over the southern states of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Ekiti, and parts of Edo, Delta, Ogun, Oyo, Kogi, Kwara, FCT, Niger, and Kaduna.
His words, “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 seasona. Naormal to shorter length of season will likely occur in other parts of the country.”