…Plans to integrate traditional method of weather forecast
By Agunwa Uzendu, Abuja
As rainfall intensify, The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has alerted that states on high risk areas are expected to experience varying degrees of flooding.
The agency advised National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to trigger it sensitization and response mechanism to avoid unnecessary loss of lives and properties.
NiMet further disclosed that the agency recognizes the tradition method of weather forecast and use of nature to forecast the rain adding that it plans to document as well as integrate the traditional and scientific methods.
The Director General / Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof Mansur Bako Matazu who made the disclosure during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday alerted that the prevailing weather patterns observed across the nation indicates that there will be abnormal rainfall conditions in some northern states.
He further disclosed that above normal rainfall conditions are expected from August to October 2022 in Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina states .
According to him, “above normal rainfall conditions ate expected over northern states such as Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, Botno, Bauchi much of Kebbi and Gombe as well as northern Kaduna and Adamawa States.
” Normal to above normal rainfall conditions are expected over most parts of the southwestern states like Lagos , Ogbu, Osun much of Oyo , Ondo, parts of Ekiti and Edo states .
“Normal to below normal conditions are expected over the south-south and the inland states such as Bayelsa , Rivers , Akwa-Ibom, Cross River , Abia ,Imo , Anambra , Ebonyi and Enugu states” .
He said that state and National Emergency Management Agencies (NEMA) should intensify adaption , mitigation and response mechanisms.
He advised states expected to experience varying degrees of flood episodes to begin their awareness campaigns through field extension workers for possible response activities especially at the high risk areas.
He further said state should introduce measures to prevent mud slide disasters by relevant authorities especially in the South East.
The DG assured of continuous observation and monitoring of rainfall events across the country to ensure that farmers are available with the necessary rain information to boost their farming and avoid losses.
He further assured of forecasting of various rainfall events on different time scales and lead time and timely dissemination of such vital information and advisory services on weather and climate related events to consumer.
He also assured of continuous constructive engagement with all relevant stakeholders for adequate uptake and utilization of weather , water and climate information.
On the credibility traditional weather forecast system, he said that the veracity their forecast cannot be dismissed and assured that the agency will out more efforts to document their methodology and also integrate it with the scientific method.
He said, “we have conducted a research and we realised that there is what we call Traditional Weather Forecasting Network where people where people use natural phenomena either positioning of stars, behaviour of animals and plants to be able to predict weather. This is part of the ingenuity of human beings.
” In Nigeria, we have evidence of local interpretation, inducing, modification of weather but it has not been documented. So we are working with a department in Nasarawa State University, History and Archaeology to document this and I know that we have written a paper on this.
“Even the traditional method, when you digest it, it has a scientific element on it because it involves using a dry or were plant and burning it which will inject some chemicals into the atmosphere and this is exactly the same thing we do in science, in weather modification that we call cloud serving. It has been tested in Russia and other parts of Europe since 1960”.
He said that NiMET will work to integrate the traditional weather forecast methodology.
