The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted rainfall and thunderstorms across the country between Sunday and Tuesday, with warnings of possible flooding in some states.
In its weather outlook released in Abuja, NiMet forecast moderate rains on Sunday morning over parts of Jigawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states.
Later in the day, thunderstorms with moderate rains are expected in Zamfara, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Sokoto, Kebbi, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa and Taraba.
The agency warned of a high possibility of flooding in parts of Kebbi, Gombe and Bauchi during the forecast period.
For the central region, NiMet said light intermittent rains would affect parts of Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Niger in the morning, while intermittent rains are expected in the FCT, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Benue, Kwara and Kogi later in the day. It also highlighted a flood risk in Niger, Plateau, Kogi and Benue.
In the south, cloudy skies are expected in the morning, with moderate rains later in Enugu, Anambra, Oyo, Osun, Edo, Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Delta, Rivers, Lagos, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River. Parts of Osun are at risk of flooding.
On Monday, NiMet predicted thunderstorms with moderate rains in Bauchi, Borno, Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Kano, Katsina, Yobe, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi and Kaduna. Light rains are expected in the FCT, Nasarawa, Benue and Niger in the morning, with intermittent showers in Niger, Plateau, Kwara and Benue later. The south will remain cloudy in the morning, with rains in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa and Lagos later in the day.
For Tuesday, the agency anticipated morning thunderstorms with moderate rains in Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Yobe, Adamawa, Borno, Jigawa, Kano and Kaduna, with similar conditions extending into Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and Adamawa later. Cloudy skies are expected in the central region in the morning, with moderate rains in the FCT, Niger and Plateau later. The south will experience cloudy conditions in the morning, with light rains later in Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Cross River and Lagos.
NiMet urged the public to avoid driving under heavy rainfall and advised flood-prone states to activate emergency response plans. It also advised farmers not to apply fertilisers or pesticides just before rains, and warned residents to fasten loose objects, disconnect electrical appliances, and avoid sheltering under trees.
It further advised airline operators to obtain airport-specific weather reports for effective flight planning.
