By Henry Kargbo
The Deputy Director, Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency (SLMet), Gabriel Kpaka has predicted low rainfall in this year.
He made this disclosure past Friday 5th May, 2023, at the institution Headquarters, Charlotte Street, Freetown.
According to the Deputy Director, the institution normally gives update on weather for 2023 by using a thirty year old data, dating from 1992 unto date.
He informed journalists that Freetown is going to have low deficit of rainfall and an increase in temperature. He outlined that farmers will experience late planting season due to a deficit of rainfall.
According to Kpaka, last year, Freetown recorded 1,500 millimeters rainfall while the region recorded the highest rainfall.
He continued the Atlantic Ocean temperature is getting warm resulting to reduction of rainfall that he noted will result to late planning season for farmers.
He said Freetown will experience strong dusty wind, thunderstorm and lightening late in this year’s raining season as it happened last year.
He disclosed there is going to be risk of flooding due to the long dry spell, noting that the high risk of rainfall in the urban areas induced farming, coastal area flooding due to strong wind, pests and insects outbreak and development of germs.
Kpaka highlighted that Sierra Leone Metrological Agency have strengthen the monitoring and response capacities of agencies and enhanced communication of seasonal forecast developed and produce.
‘’We have strengthen communications of the daily and updated version of weather forecast; discourage the uncontrolled occupation of flood prone areas.
Kpaka indicated that the agency have organized stakeholder’s consultation with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and other agencies working to ensure that everybody is safe. He stated that the institution is putting out early warning signs on a regular basis.
