By Joke Kujenya
THE NIGERIA Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has announced a forecast of thunderstorms and heavy rains spanning three days, starting Wednesday.
Released on Tuesday in Abuja, the weather outlook predicts significant weather activity across various regions in the country.
Morning thunderstorms on Wednesday are anticipated over Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Taraba, and Adamawa states.
As the day progresses, thunderstorm activity is expected to extend to parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Jigawa, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, and Gombe states.
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Benue, and Niger states in the North Central region should brace for morning thunderstorms.
Later in the day, these storms will likely persist in Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, the Federal Capital Territory, and Benue states.
In the southern region, morning rains are expected over Lagos, Ondo, Delta, Ogun, Abia, Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.
Continuous rains are particularly anticipated in Lagos, raising concerns about potential flooding. The forecast also indicates that the entire region may experience thunderstorms and rain during the afternoon and evening hours.
On Thursday, morning thunderstorms are predicted over Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, and Kaduna states, with further storm activity expected later in Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, and Jigawa states.
The North Central region will see morning thunderstorms over the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Kogi, and Niger states. As the day progresses, storms are likely to move into Nasarawa, Plateau, and Benue states.
In the southern region, Thursday’s weather will start with thunderstorms and rains over Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Lagos, Delta, Abia, Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.
The pattern of rain is expected to continue throughout the afternoon and evening.
Friday’s forecast includes morning thunderstorms over Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, and Gombe states. These storms are expected to spread across the entire region by the afternoon and evening.
In the North Central region, a partly cloudy morning will give way to thunderstorms over the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Benue, and Kogi states later in the day.
In the southern region, morning rains are predicted for Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states, continuing into the afternoon and evening.
NiMet advises the public to take necessary precautions, as strong winds may accompany the thunderstorms, and continuous rains could lead to flooding in some areas.
Airline operators are encouraged to obtain updated weather reports for efficient planning and safe operations.
