The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has issued a detailed three-day weather outlook, forecasting a combination of dust haze, sunshine, and potential thunderstorms across different parts of the country from Saturday, 3rd to Monday, 5th January 2026.
Regional Breakdown: From Dust Haze to Thunderstorms
In its outlook released on Friday in Abuja, the agency provided a region-by-region forecast. For Saturday, a slight dust haze is expected over parts of Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Zamfara, and Sokoto States. The rest of the Northern region will experience sunny conditions.
The Central states should anticipate sunny skies with few cloud patches throughout the period. Meanwhile, the Southern region will see sunny skies with patches of clouds, with prospects of isolated thunderstorms and light rains later in the day over parts of Abia, Imo, Anambra, Edo, Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Lagos, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
Sunday and Monday Forecast
Conditions are expected to intensify in some areas on Sunday. A moderate dust haze with visibility between 2km and 5km is anticipated over parts of Kano, Katsina, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Jigawa, and Borno States. The rest of the North will remain sunny and hazy.
The Central region will continue with sunny skies and a few clouds. In the South, cloudy skies with sunny intervals are expected in the morning, with thunderstorms and moderate rains likely later over parts of Bayelsa, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Rivers, and Cross River States.
For Monday, a slight dust haze is predicted over the entire Northern region. The Central states will maintain sunny skies with cloud patches, while the South will have cloudy mornings with sunny intervals. Isolated thunderstorms with light rains are possible later over parts of Ondo, Edo, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States.
Critical Public Advisories and Precautions
NiMet accompanied its forecast with important safety advisories for the public and specific sectors. The agency strongly cautioned motorists to drive carefully under rainy conditions.
Airline operators were advised to obtain updated, airport-specific weather reports from NiMet for effective flight planning and operational safety.
Given the suspension of dust particles over the Northern region, the agency issued specific health warnings:
- The general public should take necessary precautions against the dusty haze.
- People with asthma and other respiratory conditions should be particularly cautious of the prevailing weather.
- All residents are encouraged to stay informed via regular weather updates from NiMet.
The agency directed citizens to its official website, www.nimet.gov.ng, for the most current and detailed information. This comprehensive forecast allows Nigerians across various regions to plan their activities and take necessary health and safety measures for the start of the new year.
