The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has warned that persistent El Niño conditions could expose parts of the country to prolonged dry spells and rising temperatures, with potential consequences for agricultural production and food security.
El Niño, the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon characterised by fluctuations in sea surface temperatures and atmospheric conditions over the tropical Pacific Ocean. It influences rainfall and temperature patterns across different parts of the world.
Deputy Director of Research and Applied Meteorology at GMet, Francisca Martey, said Ghana should expect warmer conditions and below-normal rainfall in the coming months as the phenomenon continues to influence the country’s weather patterns.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, November 2, she said the effects were already becoming evident, with much of the country experiencing relatively dry conditions and limited rainfall since September.
Mrs Martey explained that GMet’s September-October-November seasonal forecast had predicted below-normal rainfall across most parts of the country, alongside above-normal temperatures and prolonged dry spells.
“We’re going to have long dry spells. We’re going to have below-normal rainfall,” she said.
She indicated that the conditions were expected to persist into the December-January-February period, coinciding with the Harmattan season, which is typically characterised by dry air and dusty winds.
“We are expecting that with this timing it will continue. The Harmattan will come in. The Harmattan will be drier,” she said.
She further cautioned that temperatures would rise during the period.
“We expect that December, January, and February will be warmer,” she stated.
Northern Ghana faces greater risk
Mrs Martey warned that northern Ghana could experience more severe effects of the anticipated rainfall deficits because of the region’s vulnerability to dry conditions and its significance to the country’s agricultural production.
“Although the El Niño affects the whole country, its impact is higher on the northern areas,” she noted.
She explained that prolonged dry spells could reduce water availability for farming, particularly in communities that depend on stored rainwater to sustain agricultural activities.
“The little rainwater that they have kept or saved would also dry up,” she cautioned.
To minimise the potential impact on agricultural production, she urged farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices, particularly mulching, to help retain soil moisture during extended dry periods.
“We are expecting that they will practise more mulching systems and climate-smart agricultural systems,” she said.
She also advised farmers to remain vigilant against crop pests and diseases, which could pose additional challenges under the anticipated weather conditions.
Reduced rainfall could affect Volta River and power generation
Beyond agriculture, Mrs Martey warned that below-normal rainfall across parts of West Africa could affect water resources shared by Ghana and neighbouring countries.
She noted that reduced rainfall in the region could have implications for the Volta River system and water availability.
She also acknowledged concerns that reduced water inflows into the Akosombo Dam could affect hydroelectric power generation.
Meanwhile, GMet is engaging stakeholders in agriculture, health and water resources management, as well as members of the public, to raise awareness and strengthen preparedness for the anticipated conditions.
Mrs Martey urged Ghanaians to take precautionary measures against the expected hot and dusty weather, including staying hydrated and protecting themselves from dust exposure.
