| Image: timeslive.co.za |
Earlier this month, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NiMet, Dr Anthony Anuforom, said the present high temperature being experienced in different parts of the country might likely continue till the end of April and a few days ago, the body had reiterated it in a statement signed by its Public Relations Manager, Ms Eva Azinge.
As temperatures across the country, according to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), as of Thursday, ranged from 32°C in most southwestern cities, to as high as 37°C in the FCT and 39°C in the core North, one would expect that the intense heat being experienced by Nigerians nationwide would subside as the rains showed up early this year, ironically, the reverse had been the case.
Speaking on the pervasive heat, despite the rainfalls, expert Climatologist and atmospheric physicist, Dr Olaniran Matthew, said “the month of March is usually the hottest period in Nigeria. This period is often extended to April in most northern parts of the country.
“The warmth decreases as soon as the outset of rainfall is reached, that is, when the probability that it will rain within five consecutive days is greater than or equal to 0.5 and 10 per cent of the total annual rain has fallen. What is happening now is not strange. There is increased evapo-transpiration due to rise in soil/ground water and high solar insolation. We refer to the unusual rainfall in this period as ‘false start of rainfall’. This is why we are experiencing these high temperatures even as it rains.”
He added, however, that the increased temperature might not necessarily be heat wave, “lack of observed weather patterns for this period might make it difficult for us to categorically say what we are experiencing now is heat wave because a heat wave is rather a prolonged period of hot weather when the daily maximum temperature of more than five consecutive days exceeds the average maximum temperature by 5°C .
“What we are experiencing now is more of the manifestation of the projected negative effects of climate change.”
Dr Matthew itemised the implications of this intense temperature, saying “this kind of extreme event always lead to health hazards, such as dizziness, dry skin, heatstroke, headache, fainting and even death in very extreme cases, if prolonged for weeks, but this unbearable heat is expected to end as soon as the actual rainfall arrives, which is presumptively April.”
Also, speaking on the effect of such intense heat on children, expert paediatrician, Dr Atinuke Uwajeh, said “heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration are illnesses children could develop under such harsh weather conditions.
“Children develop very high fever; they get pale and lethargic, just because they have been exposed to intense heat. Some come in appearing listless and when they are examined, it is noticed that not only are they febrile, they have dry mucous membrane and they lose focus, sweating profusely with very high temperature.”
Dr Uwajeh, therefore, admonished parents and guardians to care more for their children this season.
“To prevent this, parents must limit a child’s exposure to direct sunlight, not from the warm sun that gives us the vitamin A, but the real scorching one.
“A child must not be exposed for more than 10 minutes at a time. Schools should also limit outdoor activities during this period because this is not a time to do physical exercises, as the children will end up with heat exhaustion. They could almost collapse from heat stroke as well.
“Parents need to keep the children well hydrated. This is the time to use creams that have sun protective components, especially if outdoor activities will be embarked upon. Aside from that, hats and umbrellas can be used for protection, but above all, water intake must be high,” she said.
While stating that the global average air temperature of the earth was already 1°C hotter than it was at the start of the 20th century, Nigerians were advised to be prepared to confront hotter days, warmer nights and heat waves in the days and months to come.
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