By Daniel Eteghe

LAGOS — Nigerian Meteorological Agency NIMET, Wednesday warned pilots flying the nation’s airspace to take precautionary measures to avert flying in hazardous weather condition.

Director General of NIMET, Dr. Anthony Anuforom, who spoke at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos, noted that pilots would normally experience thunderstorms at this time of the year and that adequate measures should be taken to enhance safety.

According to him: “There is need for pilots to exercise restraint in adverse weather and always respect weather forecast.

“Pilots should visit the agency’s briefing rooms and forecast centres in the country to obtain weather reports in order to enhance safety.

“We are in the mid-stream of rainy season which is usually characterised by severe thunderstorm and line squall and their attendant turbulence, microburst, lightening and low-level wind shear.

“Suffice it to say that such weather conditions can be deadly to aircraft on approach or departure from an airport and have been responsible for a number of fatal accidents in the world and in our country, Nigeria,

“The challenges pilots often contend with are thunderstorms that accompany the rainfall, but this time, you can see that the thunderstorms are not intense.”

Anuforom, however, assured that with improved facilities at NIMET offices across the country, the agency was equal to the task of providing accurate weather report in the country.

He said: “For us in NIMET, we are equal to the task because our weather forecasts are getting more accurate. All we asked for is for pilots to visit our briefing rooms and forecast offices for information.”