The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has urged the public to take necessary precautions as a thick dust haze is expected to approach within the next 24 hours. The agency anticipates a deterioration of horizontal visibility in some northern states.
According to the general manager of public relations at NiMet, Mr. Muntari Ibrahim the inter-tropical discontinuity (ITD), currently situated at about 9.60N latitude, is expected to retreat slightly southwards in the next 24 hours. Winds over 10m and 925hPa (700m) are favourable for the propagation of dust haze into the northern parts of the country.
Stations in the source region, including areas in the Sahara Desert and Niger, have reported dust-haze with poor horizontal visibility ranging between 300m and 5000m in the last 24 hours.
Due to strong winds, the suspended dust is expected to propagate to some states in the northern part of the country, further deteriorating horizontal visibility. States likely to be affected include Katsina, Kano, Nguru, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Potiskum and Maiduguri in the next 24 hours.
NiMet advises the public to take necessary precautions due to the presence of dust particles in suspension in the atmosphere. Individuals with asthma and other respiratory issues are cautioned to be vigilant in the current weather conditions. Airline operators are also urged to obtain updated weather reports from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.
NiMet assures the public that they will continue to monitor the weather and provide updates as necessary.
