Current Heat Wave in Nigeria
Currently in Nigeria, many if not all states are experiencing an uncomfortable change of weather. It is so hot that people are scared that we might not have any covering under the sun anymore. People have resorted to wearing light clothes and drinking lots of water just to reduce the effect of the hot weather. The absence of constant electricity supply and over population in some places worsened the discomfort. Temperature reading of some part of Nigeria is as high as 97°F(36oC), which is quite abnormal as the average normal temperature is 84°F(29oC). This extreme weather is termed “heat wave”.
Heat wave is a period of excessively hot weather which may be accompanied by high humidity. A heat wave is an extreme weather and may cause heat and sunlight to overheat the human body. Heat wave varies according to location as it is only comparable to the normal temperature experienced in the location.
Heat wave mostly occurs when high air pressure remains stationary over a particular location. Under high pressure air sinks towards the earth surface, warming and drying adiabatically. This warm sinking air creates a high level inversion that acts as a dome and capping the atmosphere. Consequently, the air current slows, convection is inhibited and the cloud cover is limited, these causes the wind (air in motion) to become minimal. The end result is a continual build up of heat at the earth surface that people experience as a heat wave.
Normally, weather systems such as rain and wind dissipate this heat, however the incidence of heat wave in a location signifies the lack of both (rain and wind). Simply put, heat waves are caused when an area is unable to naturally cool down.
One of the most dangerous effect of heat wave is its effect in urban cities where there are industries. This is because as the air remains stationary, all the chemicals and fossil fuels pumped into the air through the industries remains stationary too. These chemicals and fuels react with bright sunlight and mixes with the water in the air to create smog. As heat waves limits vertical convection currents, the smog remains around ground level and can become lethal in cities .
Other effect of heat waves includes heat rash, heat edema (swelling), heat cramp, heat exhaustion, muscle cramps and the worst case scenario- heat stroke.
Measures has been suggested by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NMA) to help people get by this climate change. Such measures include
- Drink enough water.
- Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated drinks
- Reduce intake of Protein
- Monitor blood pressure regularly
- Take cold bath
As these measures are been taken seriously, we keep hoping for rain as its presence is the fastest and most reliable way of putting an end to the discomforting hot weather.
However, beyond taking these basic measures, Nigeria should work towards building resilience for such conditions. According to an article released by the Center of Climate and Energy Solutions titled “Heat Waves and Climate Change, Communities can bolster their resilience and reduce the impacts of extreme heat by:
- Creating heat preparedness plans, identifying vulnerable populations, and opening cooling centers during extreme heat.
- Using green roofs, improved building materials, and shaded building construction to reduce the urban heat island effect.
- Pursuing energy efficiency to reduce demand on the electricity grid, especially during heat waves.
- Shading and cooling livestock, breeding livestock selectively for heat tolerance, and switching to growing more heat-resistant crops.
https://www.c2es.org/content/heat-waves-and-climate-change/
