NIMET predicts February 28 as onset of planting season

The 2022 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has indicated February 28 as the earliest onset of planting season.

The onset of rainfall is expected to occur between April and May in the central states and within June to July in the north.

While it is projected that the 2022 onset of rains will be normal in most parts of the country, Ekiti, Ondo, Edo and Kaduna States are projected to experience downfalls earlier than normal.

The states predicted to have delayed onset of rainfall are: Zamfara, Kastina, Kano, Jigawa, parts of Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Cross River, Bayelsa and Rivers.

The SCP, unveiled by Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika, predicted that rainfall cessation will begin from early October to mid-November in the central states and is expected to cease by mid-December in the southernmost part of the country.

Rainfall cessation could be delayed over some parts of Cross River, Imo South, and parts of Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi and Yobe North.

However, of concern to stakeholders is that rainfall is predicted to cease earlier than normal in Kwara, Oyo, Anambra, Nasarawa and Benue.

More so, the growing season has been predicted to last between 250-300 days in southern parts of the country, and 100 to 200 days in the north. Noteworthy are areas around Kwara, Oyo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Benue, Bayelsa, and Rivers, which are likely to experience a shorter than normal length of the growing season. However, prolonged length of the growing season is anticipated in parts of Plateau, Kaduna, Edo and Imo.

For the yearly total rainfall, the prediction indicates that the amount is expected to be normal in most parts of the country.

The amount is expected to range from 390 mm in the north to over 2790 mm in the south. Yearly rainfall amount ranging from 390 mm to 790 mm is anticipated in some parts of Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina and Sokoto. Central states such as Nasarawa, Taraba, Kogi, Benue and the FCT, as well as Ekiti, Osun and Oyo, are anticipated to record 1190 mm to 1590 mm of total rainfall.

Furthermore, from May to August 2022, dry spells of different degrees of severity, ranging from mild to severe, are predicted for different parts of the country. Moderate dry spell persisting for up to 15 days is predicted over parts of Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Ekiti, Kwara, Niger, FCT, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi and Gombe. Parts of Kebbi, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, Borno, Nasarawa and Plateau may experience a severe dry spell that could persist for up to 20 days or longer in June 2022.