Aviation Hazardous weather in Dry Season

1. Trigger:

Use of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) for the year 2021 to bring forth the evolving weather information associated  with severe dust haze/fog and the effects on safety and efficiency of flight operations.

2. Prediction by NiMet:

Rainfall cessation in October in the extreme Northern part of the country, November around the Middle Belt and late November/December in the southern part of the country.

3. What Pilots/Operators should expect during the season:
4. Moderate to severe dust haze, early morning fog especially along the coastal areas, which in some instances can reduce horizontal visibility to less than 200 meters during the period of November 2021 to March 2022.
5. Air-to-ground visibility reduction due to dust haze or fog;
6. Aerodrome visibility may fall below the prescribed operating minima and in severe conditions, dust haze can blot out runways, markers and airfield  lightings over  wide areas making visual navigation  extremely difficult  or impossible ;and
7. Effects on Aircraft Operations:
8. Flights are bound to be delayed, diverted, or cancelled where terminal visibility falls below the prescribed aerodrome operating minima.
9. Pilot, operators and Air Traffic Controllers Responsibility
10. i) Closure of the airspace by Air Traffic Controllers when any of the conditions in (3) above are observed or forecast by NiMet;
11. ii) Strict adherence to published aerodrome weather minima by Flight Crews/Operators and Air Traffic Controllers (ATC);

iii) Pilots /Flight Crew Members shall obtain adequate departure-route and destination weather information and briefing from NiMet Aerodrome Methodologist offices and station prior to flight operations and excise maximum restraint whenever an adverse weather is observed.

1. Operators shall ensure that necessary measures are put in place to cushion the effects of flight delay or cancellations on their passengers.
2. Action required:

Strict compliance to this Advisory Circular by all stakeholders.

Signed:
Captain Musa Nuhu

Director General

Attachments

1. Aviation Weather AC