Again, NIMET Warns of Flight Disruption Due to Harmmattan

Chinedu Eze

The Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has again warned that flight operations might be disrupted by Harmattan weather calling on airline operators to to pick up their flight folders and adhere to regulations, especially at aerodromes in the Northern parts of the country.

NIMET also advised that road users are advised to drive slowly and carefully due to poor visibility during this period.

“People with respiratory problems should take caution. Dust haze conditions are expected to intensify before the end of the day over the extreme north, horizontal visibility should further deteriorate from 0300 to 0600 local time as thick dust haze should engulf the northern cities keeping visibilities to 1000m and below; places like Maiduguri, Nguru, Potiskum, Dutse, Gombe, Yola, Bauchi, Katsina, Sokoto,Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna and Zaria,” the agency said in a statement.

It noted that presently moderate dust haze conditions are observed over some parts of the North and this has brought the horizontal visibility to (500 – 3000) m, adding that a fresh dust plumed has been raised at the dust source region (Faya Largeau in Chad Republic).

The Director General of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Prof. Mansur Matazu told THISDAY , however,that it may not be as severe this year and promised to keep updating the public on weather changes.
“You Know harmattan dust comes in cycles of four and six days,” he said.

The former Director General of NIMET, Dr Anthony Anuforom gave details of how harmattan could hamper flight operations and noted that no two seasons are the same because the volume of rains every year cannot be the same.

“We are under the influence of harmattan because the North-Easterly wind from Niger and Chad carries dusty wind into Nigeria, which usually have higher impact in the northern region because of its proximity to the Sahel. It brings dust particles, which scatter light, obscure visibility. These particles are solid but suspended in the air. It blocks visibility and affects flight operation.

“It will be difficult to tell the frequency of severe dust activities and climate variability. The amount of rainfall last year was not the same this year, so it varies from year to year. So there is annual variability and on the average there is dust which obstruct flight operations,” Dr Anuforomsaid.