The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast haziness across the country from Friday to Sunday. In its weather outlook released on Thursday, February 13, in Abuja, NiMet predicted moderate dust haze over the North and North Central regions on Friday.
The agency also stated that thick dust haze, leading to visibility of less than or equal to 1000m, is expected in parts of Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Yobe, Kaduna, Borno, and Jigawa throughout the forecast period.
For the southern parts of Nigeria, NiMet forecasts cloudy skies with occasional spells of sunshine, along with the possibility of isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, particularly over parts of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Rivers.
On Saturday, February 15, moderate dust haze is expected to persist over the Northern region throughout the day. In the North Central region, slight dust haze is anticipated in the morning and later in the afternoon/evening. The southern region is expected to experience cloudy skies with some sunshine, with thunderstorms forecast over Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Delta states. A slight dust haze is anticipated over the North and North Central regions, as well.
On Sunday, February 16, NiMet forecasts cloudy skies with spells of sunshine, with isolated thunderstorms over parts of Lagos, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom later in the day.
NiMet has also advised the public to take necessary precautions as particles are suspended in the atmosphere. The agency specifically warned people with respiratory issues, such as asthma, to be cautious due to the weather conditions.
The agency further urged airline operators to obtain airport-specific weather reports from NiMet for proper planning of their operations.