Latest news with #NiMet
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
NiMet strike: Why airports dey depend on meteorological agencies?
Nigeria airports see kasala after di country meteorological agency NiMet go on strike over unpaid wages. Flight delays and cancellations happen for Lagos, Abuja and Kano airports. Workers from NiMet march for di street of Lagos, wit placards wey read: "No weather, no flight; fly at your own risk." While one airline, United Nigeria Airlines, say dem bin dey find alternative sources for weather information, anoda airline, Air Peace, bin announce di suspension of all flight operations on Thursday. Di strike now don dey called off for two weeks after Nigeria Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo meet with NiMet unions on Thursday. Dis na three key reasons why meteorology dey important to aviation: Safety While e dey safe to fly inside bad weather, meteorological agencies fit alert pilots to any significant weather hazards, like thunderstorms, icing or low visibility caused by low clouds or fog. Turbulence for flight dey very common, however thunderstorms fit make am more serious, putting passengers safety at risk. While turbulence dey highly unlikely to make plane crash, e dey known to cause severe injuries to passengers – and even death. Aviation forecasts fit also identify areas of Clear Air Turbulence (CAT), wey be wen temperature change create different wind speeds and direction. Pilots fit use dis weather information to den fly around areas of turbulence to minimise any danger or to cancel flight altogether. For Nigeria, heavy rainfall and thunderstorms dey more common at certain times of di year – e make weather information all modire important. "Any time you get widespread thunderstorm outbreak, e fit dey dangerous," George Delanjian, one aviation meteorologist based in US tok. "Lightening fit strike di aircraft and serious turbulence fit happen. In most cases, meteorologists know wen and wia thunderstorms go happen." Weather information dey also become more important for flight safety, sake of say some studies show say instances of serious turbulence dey increase, wey fit be due to climate change. Efficiency Information about di weather dey crucial for pilots wey dey prepare a flight plan. Di temperature, humidity, pressure and wind fit impact di ability to maintain a safe flying altitude and di ability to reach di destination with enough fuel. Information about jet streams – wey be strong bands of winds – fit help di plane to arrive more quickly at im destination. Flight plan fit also include alternate airports wey di plane fit divert too if change in weather conditions happen. "Meteorological agencies go provide information to airport as part of Meteorological Aerodrome Report [METAR] - wey be hourly reports wey show di current weather and Terminal Aerodrome Forecast [TAF] - wey give di forecast throughout di day," Simon King, BBC meteorologist tok. "Any pilot absolutely suppose get am to plan dia flights. For example, if di weather for di airport wia plane dey due to land no dey favourable, pilots fit dey aware of oda airports to divert to - while making sure say enough fuel dey to do so." So, weather reports no dey just about safety, dem dey also help airlines to save time, fuel and money. Ground operations Weather information dey just as important on di ground as e dey for di pilots in di sky. Meteorological agencies provide airports with information wey dey prepare dem for conditions wey fit affect di runway visibility and di ability to take off and land safely. In particular, pilots go dey look di forecasts for di speed and direction of di wind. Dis go affect di runway di pilot go use. Weather information fit also help make decisions on de-icing procedures, di loading and unloading of aircraft and re-fuelling. "If thunderstorm dey, planes no dey allowed to refuel in case of lightening," King add.
Zawya
05-02-2025
- Climate
- Zawya
Nigeria weather alert: FG warns of dry spell in some states during 2025 rainy season
The Federal government on Tuesday disclosed that some states in the country will experience severe dry spell of about 27 to 40 day during the 2025 rainy season. Speaking during the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) organized by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo warned that the Little Dry Season (LDS), also known as 'August Break' is predicted to begin by late July and would be severe only in parts of Lagos and Ogun states. 'The number of days with little or no rainfall will range between 27 to 40 days. Moderate LDS effect is expected over parts of Ogun, Oyo, and Ekiti states. Osun, Oyo, Kwara, and parts of Ondo north are likely to experience light or mild Little Dry Season'. He said during the April-May-June (AMJ) season, 'there is a likelihood of a severe dry spell of above 15 days after the establishment of rainfall in Oyo state (Saki, Iseyin, Ogbomosho, Atisbo, Orelope, Itesiwaju, Olorunsogo, Kajola, Iwajowa and Ori Ire). 'Moderate dry spell that may last up to 15 days is likely to occur in Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Cross River, Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom states in the south. However, for the northern states, a severe dry spell that may last up to 21 days is predicted for the June-July-August (JJA) season of 2025. 'As with previous years, there are pre-onset rainfall activities that should not be confused with the actual onset of the rainy season. 'Those engaged in rainfed agriculture and other-rainfall dependent activities in Nigeria are therefore advised to refer to the predicted onset dates in this publication or consult NiMet for proper guidance'. Keyamo explained that the onset of rain is predicted to be delayed over the northern and central states of Plateau as well as parts of Kaduna, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, and Kwara. 'While early onset is expected over the southern states of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Anambra, and sections of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Lagos, Edo, Enugu, Imo, and Ebonyi. 'The rest of the country is predicted to have a normal onset. Earlier than long-term average end-of-rainy season is predicted over parts of Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, FCT, Ekiti, and Ondo states. 'A delayed end of season is expected over parts of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, Lagos, Kwara, Taraba, Oyo, Ogun, Cross River, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Anambra, and Enugu states. 'The predicted length of rainy season in 2025 is expected to be mostly normal across the country. However, Borno and parts of Yobe states could experience shorter than normal length of season, Lagos, and Nasarawa states are likely to have longer than normal length of seasons in 2025'. He stated that a normal to below-normal annual rainfall is anticipated in most parts of Nigeria compared to the long-term average. 'Parts of Kebbi, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Cross River, Lagos Abia, Akwa Ibom states, and the FCT are expected to have above-normal annual rainfall amounts. High-intensity rainfall is expected in May-June that may likely result in flash floods in the coastal cities'. The Minister further stated that temperatures are expected to be generally above the long-term average across the country. 'Both daytime and nighttime temperatures are predicted to be warmer than the long-term average over most parts of the country in January, February, March, and May 2025. 'However, April day and nighttime temperatures are predicted to be generally cooler than normal, while warmer than normal temperatures are likely over most of the northern states,' he said. In his welcome address, the Director General of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike noted that the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), aside being perishable also requires actors who will uptake the information, utilise it, and provide feedback for evaluation and improvement of the document. 'Everyone seated here today and those who have joined us virtually are custodians of the anticipated early actions to ensure the maximum and positive impact of the SCP'. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
