Agency Warn Farmers on False Rainy Season Onset

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has warned farmers in Abuja and nearby North Central States who have seen some rain in the last two weeks, to postpone planting their crops because the rainy season has not yet arrived in these regions.

Prof. Mansur Matazu, the director general of NiMet, claimed that the rains that have been seen in Abuja and the surrounding areas are just a false onset and do not signify the start of the rainy season.

His words: “What happened in Abuja is a false onset as it was predicted in our Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) which we categorized as pre-onset activities. However, extreme southern coastal states like Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa, and a few other states have already reached their onset which we predicted was starting from March 3.”

“But for Abuja, it is the pre-onset activities that are temporary. Farmers should use the opportunity to do land clearing and pre-raining activities. The onset for FCT is predicted to be from late April to early May depending in the local council”

Meanwhile, as the rainy season commences in parts of the country, especially in the coastal states, NiMet has warned pilots and the general public to be wary of thunderstorms and other hazardous weather events.

“NiMet predicted rainfall onset to be earlier than the long-term average in most parts of the country during the 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP). 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,” Mansur said.

Agro Nigeria / Foluke Ibitomi