‘Rain, strong winds to intensify in five states’?

A weather forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency has revealed that thunderstorms accompanied by rain and strong winds are expected to intensify in five states.

NIMET, in a statement, said the situation was currently prevalent in three states in the country.

It said, “NIMET forecast has observed thunderstorm cells accompanied by rain and strong winds currently over Taraba, Plateau and Benue states.

“These cells are expected to intensify and grow in size moving westwards to affect the following states: Nasarawa and Kogi states in about one to three hours; Enugu, Ebonyi and Cross River states in about three to five hours.”

The agency said the same system would probably affect parts of Abuja and its environs.

NIMET added, “The weather associated with the thunderstorm cells will be similar to that experienced on Friday, January 24, 2014 in the affected states.

“This weather pattern usually occurs in January when the demarcation between moist south- westerly winds and dry north-easterly winds is pulled inland up to 10 degrees north.”

It stated that although the storm would be accompanied by rain, similar to what was experienced in Abuja last Friday, the development was not the beginning of rainy season and farmers should not commence planting.

“NIMET will continue to track this development and provide regular updates and the 2014 weather outlook will be presented to the nation very soon,” it said.

A sudden weather change occurred over Abuja around 4pm last Friday and brought the first rainfall, accompanied by strong winds of 37 knots (67 km/hr) in some parts of the city.

The agency had explained that the weather condition was due to a rapid northward movement of the line of demarcation between the south-westerly winds that bring moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and the dry north-easterly winds from the Sahara desert.