NIMET: High Temperature to Continue Till April

The Director General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Dr. Anthony Anuforom, yesterday said the present high temperature being experienced in different parts of the country may likely continue till the end of April.

Speaking through the telephone on the pervasive heat in Abuja, the DG, however said the weather phenomenon across the country was on a transitory phase.

While dismissing the high temperature as heat wave, the DG said :“Usually around this time February and March, we are in the transition period. I wouldn’t want to call what the present high or hot temperature a heat wave.”

“At this point we are transiting from the harmattan to rainy season and so it is not abnormal to have February March and April to be hot.

“Because at this time you have more moisture coming into the atmosphere and when there is a lot of moisture in the atmosphere with the sun coming in coupled with the absence of the rain the temperature tends to rise.”

Anuforom, however attributed the global atmospheric warming to the climate change.

He said: “And of course don’t also forget also that we are in an era of global warming and therefore we are in a period of more than normal temperature.”

So therefore, what is happening in many places in Nigeria from now will very likely and sometime continue till April with a higher temperature, he said.

He said the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, would be unveiling the Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) next week, which according to him, would detail the likely trend of weather phenomenon in the country in 2016, adding: “We are making all the preparation for the SRP.

However, the Director of Weather and Forecast, Mr. Ifeanyi Nnodun, could not could not be reached on the temperature recorded in different parts of the country.

While Abuja residents groan because of the impact of the hot weather, Mrs. Mercy Dalyop, a dealer in provision and household items in Utako market, Abuja, has no regret in the change in weather phenomenon as according to her, she now sells more than 10 bags of pure water daily as compared to sales before the increase in temperature.