Planners and policy makers require information about the regions for which they are responsible. However, it seems that many developing countries, including Nigeria, are not adequately prepared either for their current climates or for the impact of climate change because they lack sufficient information. We have therefore examined the variations in the thermal condition in terms of the temperature, relative humidity, effective temperature (ET), temperature-humidity index (THI) and relative strain index (RSI). We studied the spatial and temporal (seasonal and monthly averages) variations in the thermal climate of Nigeria, and we divided Nigeria into thermal climate regions for effective climate change management. Mean annual minimum, mean and maximum temperatures (with their standard deviations) were 21.4 (3.5), 27.1 (2.7) and 32.8 (3.4) • C, respectively, while the overall mean relative humidity was 62 (24.8)%. Mean ET, THI and RSI were 24.3 (0.85), 24.8 (1.83) and 0.2 (0.18) • C, respectively. The ET, THI and RSI provided contrasting expressions of thermal comfort for Nigeria, because of its varied climate. We also found that elevation; the movement of the Inter Tropical Discontinuity and urbanization affect thermal comfort in Nigeria. We conclude that thermal stress has increased in Nigeria from 2000 at most stations, especially in the south and north-western regions, and that Nigerian thermal comfort climate is heterogeneous and requires analysis of multiple thermal indices.

This study examined the sea surface temperature (SST) patterns in the Gulf of Guinea (GOG) and discussed their implications for the spatio-temporal variability of precipitation in West Africa. The SST data spanning over 49 years at 2°× 2°resolutions were sourced from the archive of the International Research Institute for climate prediction. The specific locations where data were collected to represent the GOG are longitudes 10°W, 8°W, 6°W, 4°W, 2°W, 0°, 2°E, 4°E, 6°E, and 8°E, and latitudes 5°N, 3°N, 1°N, 1°S, 3°S, and 5°S. The results obtained show that the SST in the GOG generally decreases westward and southward, while the reverse of the case holds for its variability values. Detailed observations show that the SST is generally below the latitudinal average and its variability values, above the latitudinal average mainly between longitudes 8°W and 2°E. The results also show that during the period of July-AugustSeptember, the SST is anomalously colder between longitudes 8°W and 2°E and the West African coastal border and latitude 3°N. This area was observed as constituting the area of the coastal upwelling. The intra-annual distribution of the SST, as evident along latitudes 3°N and 5°N, shows two main regimes and two transitional periods in between the regimes. The first regime is November to May, and the second, July to September. The first regime transits to the second during the month of June and the second back to the first, during the month of October. The comparative analysis of the first and second half of the period of study indicates that the SST of the GOG has undergone some warming over time. The comparison also shows that although the SST has generally risen, an area of relatively cool SST near the Guinea coast has expanded from longitudes 7°W-0°W to 8°W-3°E.

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The study examined the variations of selected climatic variables (rainfall and temperature) and the perceptions of small-scale farmers on the effects of extreme climate condition on cropping activities in the rain forest ecological region in southwest Nigeria. The area is characterized by three different subecological strata (the mountainous Akoko region in the north, the southern coastal area, and the middle, relatively lowland and more urbanized area) whose effects on the climate are made explicit in the relatively different values of the climate variables. Analysis of the responses to questions on perceptions of extreme climate effects indicated that about 70% of the farmers were aware of the effects of extreme climate events on crop production and yield, and over 50% indicated that too early rainfall, late rainfall, prolonged dryness after an initial rainfall, excessive rainfall, and windstorms were the common weather-related causes of low crop yields. More than 76% of the farmers changed planting dates and diversified their crops as mitigation measures, while about 72% adopted mulching and intercropping as adaptation strategies against extreme weather conditions. Only less than 20% had access to government support facilities and modern infrastructure. The study concluded that although the farmers respond to variable and extreme climate events in the study area, the responses, being not adequately supported by adequate farming infrastructure, do not guarantee sustainable food security in the region.

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This study investigates the spatio-temporal variations in the occurrence of COVID-19 (confirmed cases and deaths) in relation to climate fluctuations in 61 countries scattered around the world from December 31, 2019 to May 28, 2020. Logarithm transformation of the count variable (COVID-19 cases) was used in a multiple linear regression model to predict the potential effects of weather variables on the prevalence of the disease. The study revealed strong associations (-0.510 ≤ r ≤ -0.967; 0.519 ≤ r ≤0.999) between climatic variables and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in majority (68.85%) of the selected countries. It showed evidences of 1 to 7-day delays in the response of the infection to changes in weather pattern. Model simulations suggested that a unit fall in temperature and humidity could increase (0.04 -18.70%) the infection in 19.67% and 16.39% of the countries respectively while a general reduction (-0.05 —9.40%) in infection cases was projected in 14.75% countries with a unit drop in precipitation. In conclusion, the study suggests that effective public health interventions are crucial contain the projected upsurge in COVID-19 cases during both cold and warm seasons in the southern and northern hemispheres.