CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOT-DRY AND WARM-HUMID CLIMATE IN

NIGERIA
Climate is the average weather in a given area over a longer period of time.
The national university commission recognizes three climates zones in Nigeria;
the Northern, the Southern zone and the transitional zone based on the division
of the country into climatic design zones
 Hot-dry climate
 Warm-humid climate
 Temperate dry climate
 Temperate humid climate
 Temperate dry with cool climate

HOT-DRY CLIMATE:
This climate is experienced in the northern part of Nigeria. The climate is marked
by a long dry season and thereby a short rainy season. This zone encompasses
some of the highlands and desert regions, with the strong influence of the wind
pattern causing sand storms. The hot dry climate is characterized by high
temperatures during the day with a sharp drop at night and sunshine all year
round, but the hours of sunlight drop a little in winter. Humidity is low, especially
in the summer, which causes rapid evaporation, low rainfall (Mobolade &
Pourvahidi,2020).

WARM-HUMID CLIMATE:
This climate is influenced by the South Atlantic Ocean monsoons brought into
the country by the air mass of the maritime tropical (MT), a warm moist sea with
the seasonal wind of the surface. The warmth and high humidity give it a strong
tendency to ascend and produce a large amount of rainfall, which is a result of the
condensation of water vapor in the rapidly rising air (air cools as it rises).
The region that experiences this climate is the southeastern part of Nigeria. The
rainfall is heavy and short in duration, the humidity is high, which causes slow
evaporation and rainfall, the temperature high though not as high as the hot-dry
climate (Mobolade & Pourvahidi,2020).

Summary of the characteristics of the hot-dry and warm-humid climate

HOT-DRY CLIMATE WARM-HUMID
CLIMATE

Air temperature MAX(hot): 43-49,MAX(cool):27-32 MAX:27-32 degree Celsius

MIN(hot): 24-30,MIN(cool):10-18 degree MIN:21-27 degree Celsius
Celsius

Humidity (%) 10-55 55-100

Precipitation 50-155 2000-5000

(mm)
Sky condition Clear Fairly cloudy
Winds Local, hot, dusty Low velocity
Vegetation Sparse Very luxuriant
Solar radiation Direct, Strong Painful glare
(Ogunsote & Prucnal-Ogunsote,2002)