Flights delay and cancellations loom as both the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) warn pilots and air operators of bad weather.
The warning which was contained in a statement predicted the possibility of deteriorating horizontal visibility due to thick dust haze propagated into the country from the source region in Niger Republic.
According to the statement which was signed by the Director General of NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, the bad weather was a result of the cessation of rainfall and weather associated with the Dry Season in Nigeria from late December 2022 to March/April 2023.
The statement thereafter identified Katsina, Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna, Yobe, and Jigawa as the States that are prone to the hazed weather in the next few days.
Investors King learnt that the statement also predicted isolated thunderstorms in Akwa Ibom State and patches of clouds over the coastal cities of the South throughout the forecast period.
NiMet added that the weather condition is expected to persist for the next three days, adding that the maximum day-time temperature is expected to fall as a result of the plume of dust coming into the country.
NCAA thereby enumerated the effects of hazardous weather on flight operations to include, Air-to-ground visibility reduction due to haze dust or fog.
The regulatory agency further said that all pilots, operators and air traffic controllers are obliged to abide by all safety requirements which include the obtaining of adequate departure, en-route and destination weather information and briefing from NiMet offices before flight operations.
Noting that safety is the most paramount thing, NACAA further seeks patience and understanding from all airport users particularly passengers during this period.
“Operators shall ensure that all necessary measures are put in place to cushion the effects of delay or cancellations on their passengers while the authority urges all passengers to exercise patience and understanding during this period as their safety is of the utmost importance” the statement partly read.
