NiMet alerts pilots, air travellers of impending flight disruptions due to thunderstorms
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has warned pilots and the general public to be wary of thunderstorms and other hazardous weather events, as the rainy season commences in some parts of the country.
In a press statement signed by Muntari Yusuf, General Manager, Public Relations, NiMet, the agency said this is in line with the public presentation of the Seasonal Climate Prediction it made in January this year.
According to its prediction, NiMet said rainfall will begin earlier than the long-term average in most parts of the country; and the onset is expected to start from the coastal states of Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom in early March, progressively followed by the inland states and the Central states.
The statement noted that the recent thunderstorms recorded over parts of the coastal and inland states showed that the Agency’s prediction is on-point, reliable and accurate.
NiMet further cautioned that for areas where thunderstorms are expected, this weather hazard can cause significant disruptions, stressing that thunderstorms can lead to turbulence, lightning strikes, strong winds, heavy rainfall, downdraught, microburst, and hailstones.
Recognizing the imminent danger to the aviation industry, NiMet warned: “The effects of thunderstorms are more hazardous to the aviation industry, particularly the aircraft operations and passengers. Thunderstorms can cause delays, diversion and cancellations of flights, as aircraft are often grounded in the face of severe weather”.
The Agency, however, assured pilots and other airport users that it has installed weather monitoring systems, thunder detectors, satellite receiving ground-stations and Automatic Weather System (AWS) across the airports (and other stations) nationwide as a measure to mitigate the effects of thunderstorms to the aviation industry.
The Agency has also developed a variety of products and services to help track the thunderstorms and its attendant hazards, noting that the Pilot Briefing Rooms are always available for Services.
As a preventive measure, NiMet has advised all Pilots and Airline Operators to exercise caution during flight operations, considering the attendant hazards of severe thunderstorms which are bound to affect air navigation.
NiMet has enjoined pilots and flight crews to obtain adequate departure, en route and destination weather information and briefing from NiMet offices prior to flight operations for effective planning in their air navigation operations.
