Ghanaians have been urged to stay alert as the country approaches the peak of the rainy season.
The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMET) says more heavy rainfall is expected across parts of the country, and flooding remains a major risk.
Speaking on the AM Show on JoyNews, Deputy Director of Forecasting at GMeT, Joseph Tetteh Portuphy, explained the cause of the torrential rains that hit many areas on Sunday.
“Within the week, we were monitoring it, and it was like there was a lot of moisture in the system from the Guinea Coast. We also had convective activity around Ghana. So the system moved from south of Lagos, and we were tracking it, and then around 4 pm to 5 pm yesterday, it started hitting the coast of Ghana,” he said.
He added that the storm was widespread and not limited to the coast. “There was another one also up in the middle belt. So, virtually, it came down, and that is why we had lightning and thunderstorms.”
Mr Portuphy noted that the intensity of the rains was expected due to the high levels of moisture and convection in the atmosphere.
“We were expecting the rains to be this strong because when you look at the moisture level and the convective nature of it, we knew if the rains come and stay for the next 30 minutes, one hour or two hours, it will create flooding in some areas,” he said.
Looking ahead, he outlined areas likely to experience rainfall in the coming days.
“For today, along the coast, because a lot of energy has been taken out of the system, we are not expecting much,” he explained. “But Axim will experience some rain. And then the middle belt from Ho, Kete Krachi, Oda, Kumasi, Techiman and its environs by the close of day, from around 2 pm, they are expecting to get some heavy rain.”
He also noted that while Accra may not experience immediate rainfall, the northern parts of the country, such as Bawku, could see some showers.
“The forest areas, the hilly areas, and the mountainous areas in the country will experience some rain today. But for us in Accra, by the close of Wednesday and Thursday, we should expect another rain,” he said.
Mr Portuphy cautioned the public to prepare for more heavy downpours in the coming weeks.
“Currently, we are getting into the peak of our rainy season, so people should be careful, especially when we get into June. June is the peak, and once we get these heavy rains, it means the land and every place will be saturated. And when they get saturated, any slight rain can cause flooding,” he said.
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