Jumoke Olasunkanmi
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), through its Central Forecast Office (CFO), has said the recent unexpected rainfall in the northern parts of the country, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over the weekend of Saturday, 25th and Sunday, 26th November, 2023, was as a result of climate change.
It noted that the rainfall took many by surprise as it was contrary to the anticipated transition to the harmattan season, characterised by dust, cold and winds during this period.
NiMet’s statement released on Monday explained that with this increased moisture and the already high energy in the atmosphere, natural condensation occurred, leading to the formation of clouds. The accumulation of clouds over the Northwestern and Northcentral parts of the country, including Abuja, resulted in the thunderstorms experienced on the specified dates.
Attributing the phenomenon to climate change, NiMet emphasised that the impact of human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, increasing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, are contributors to the change being experienced in the atmosphere.
NiMet assured the public that these recent weather events were not indicative of a seasonal shift, but rather temporary fluctuations influenced by weather modulators.
