The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has cautioned pilots to take necessary measures to avert plane crash due to some cases of bad weather expected to be experienced this year.
The advice was contained in the agency’s Seasonal Rainfall Prediction, 2014 edition.
NIMET urged flight operators to always avail themselves of its daily weather forecasts and alerts regularly issued for all airports, aerodromes, air strips and helipads.
“Pilots are advised to take additional measures during take-off and landing to avoid weather hazards caused by wind shear, slippery runways and reduced visibility due to heavy rainfall,” the report highlighted.
NIMET also said the projected above normal rainfall in the north-west and inland south could pose threat to road transportation, saying visibility in storms and lightning could cause accidents. It said marine and fishing operators were expected to enjoy hitch-free activities based on the predicted normal rainfall around the major areas of Lagos, Port Harcourt and other coastal areas.
According to NIMET, coastal marine transport activities will be enhanced due to the predicted rainfall.
On health, NIMET said warmer conditions predicted in the North were expected to cause some levels of discomfort, particularly in areas including Yola, Yelwa, Maiduguri, Nguru, Sokoto and Potiskum.
The agency also predicted that heat-related ailments were expected to be prevalent in the areas during the hot season.
It said air-borne diseases usually triggered by harmattan dust haze were likely to be prevalent in most parts of the North.
NIMET said the prospect of cold weather-related diseases such as pneumonia, catarrh and cough were likely in Yelwa, Jos, Abuja and Minna where minimum temperature could be colder than normal in April.
NIMET advised that health practitioners and governments in the states should make contingency plans in the event of outbreak of diseases.
