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Hamarttan to last through next month –
Meteo Chief
Accra, Dec. 31, Ghanadot/GNA - The level of dryness
pertaining in the atmosphere due to the hamarttan season
would not diminish nor increase much and would last well
into the latter part of January 2008, the Meteorological
Department said on Monday in Accra.
Speaking to journalists in an interview, Mr. Juati Ayi Larre,
Head of the Meteorological Department, Kotoka International
Airport, said the current hazy conditions were not as severe
as was often anticipated because the haze particles fell
this time round from the lower part of the atmosphere.
"Relative humidity is not as bad as it is during typical
hamarttan seasons because the air mass introducing the haze
is not dry enough and is not being transported along the
surface of the earth," he said.
He said in the mornings, there could be mist and that some
parts of the coastal and forest areas could experience thick
fog.
Mr Larre said by mid-morning the fog would be burnt by heat
from the sun which would once more bring about the hazy
conditions.
He said the haze formed the same pattern in the northern
part of the country where there was very little moisture.
"Thus in the north there is no mist nor fog but just haze
throughout the day,"
He said the temperature in the north was cold at night
because there was no cloud cover as a result of the lack of
moisture in the atmosphere.
Mr Larre said as a result of moisture in the southern part
of the country, there was a cloud cover, which caused heat
at night.
He said intermittent improvement in the prevailing hazy
conditions was expected where there would be much less haze
or mist from time to time, adding, "we do not expect severe
hazy conditions at all."
Mr Larre cautioned that planning flights for Kumasi and
Takoradi was very crucial since a good measure of fog and
mist was expected in those areas.
He said mist and fog conditions were however not expected in
Tamale.
The Meteorologist said the present pertaining weather
conditions known as “lamina” induced rainfall for the West
African region, which caused much less severe hamarttan
conditions such as severe dryness and very little moisture
in the atmosphere.
He advised drivers along the coastal, mountainous and forest
areas to be very cautious since visibility was bound to be
poor due to misty and foggy conditions.
Mr Larre also urged fishermen and hunters to be wary of poor
visibility during the period to avoid accidents since the
sea would be either misty or foggy in the mornings.
He cautioned against bush burning and said food should be
well protected since certain disease causing bacteria easily
thrived in the prevailing weather conditions.
Mr Larre said a maximum of 39 degrees Celsius was expected
for the northern part of the country during the day and 16
degrees Celsius at night.
In the mid section, a maximum of 32 degrees Celsius was
expected during the day and 21 degrees Celsius at night.
A maximum of 32 degrees Celsius was expected during the day
and about 24 degrees Celsius at night for the south.
He described visibility levels in the north as 3000 meters
for both day and night and that of the mid-section of the
country would be 6000 metres for both day and night and the
coastal areas 4000 metres for both day and night.
GNA
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