By Abdulrahman Abdullahi
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, has urged the meteorological community to pay more attention to the development of weather and climate services with a special focus on marine and ocean related activities.
While commemorating the world Meteorological day, the NiMet Director General/CEO, Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, who said this on Tuesday in Abuja, at the event with the theme, “The Ocean, Our Climate and Weather”, noted that the science of weather and climate is never complete without adequate knowledge and reference to the Ocean.
While stating that the Ocean plays a critical role in weather occurrence on different timescales including the changing climate and its variability, he added that the water level across the World ocean including the one along the coastal belt of Nigeria has been rising due to changing climate.
The implication of this, he said, is increasing danger of coastal erosions, storm surges, stronger ocean waves and swells exacerbated by global temperature increase.
According to him, “The increasing intensity and frequency of convective storms and gusty winds are influenced by Air-Sea momentum and heat exchanges aggravated by global warming. Hence, to secure lives and property along the coast, mitigate the impact of climate and weather extremes and contribute positively to the socio-economic lives of our nation’s populace, huge investments in meteorological and hydrological services are inevitable”.
He stated that NiMet, over the years, with support from the Federal Government has been investing in meteorological data generation both along the coast and inlands, adding that as at today, NiMet has over 10 marine meteorological stations along the coastal belt of the country.
Meanwhile, NiMet has advised farmers in the North-central zone of the country and particularly Nasarawa, Niger, Benue, Abuja and neighbouring states like Kaduna against hasty planting in order to avoid losses due to the false onset of rains recorded.
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According Professor Matazu, “the recent rainfall activities recorded over the central states as well as Kaduna, in the North-west between the12th to 20th March, 2021 is a false onset as captured accurately in the 2021 Seasonal Climate Prediction.
“The recorded rainfall is as a result of the forcing functions namely: Mid-latitude wave and the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) that led to the Northward pull of the inter-tropical discontinuity (ITD) and increased moisture into the country”.
He also added that the above, coupled with the abundant energy in the atmosphere, resulted in the recent rainfall events in and around Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory.
He explained that the onset of the rains in the South-south of the country has been established as predicted in the 2021 SCP, that is, 1st of March to 20th March. The forecast for the South-west and South-eastern part of the country are gradually being established in line with the predicted date of 13th March to 25th April.
In spite of the above advice, the agency, however, recommended that other preparatory planting activities such as land clearing, purchase of inputs by farmers should commence as scheduled.
The NiMet DG also emphasized that the earlier predicted onset of rains for the rest of the country remains valid, with the Central states witnessing the rains in late April to Mid-May while the Northern states would experience theirs in late May to June ending.
He stressed that NiMet, in fulfilment of its mandates and in line with standards and recommended practices of WMO, IMO, ICAO, and related organisations, is ever committed to providing timely, accurate and quality meteorological products and services, early warning advisories, for all weather and climate sensitive sectors to promote sustainable development in the country.
For his part, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Representative for North, Central and West Africa, Bernard Gomez noted that as the coastal populations continue to grow, the provision of coastal forecasting services is also critical to support safe operations and to maintain economic development.
Gomez who was represented by the WMO National Officer, Dr. Ronald Abah, stated that communities at risk require the best early warnings possible for a combination of hazards including waves, storm surge, swell, tides, river levels and even tsunami, adding that the WMO is working to enhance early warning for these combinations of hazards, especially in vulnerable countries.
