Deputy Director in Charge of Forecasting at the Ghana Meteorological Agency, Joe Tetteh Portuphy, has advised residents of Northern Ghana to be extra cautious with strong winds accompanying this year’s (2022) rainy season.
With the Northern part of Ghana known for its sparse vegetation and trees, he asserts that, the strong winds can wreak irreparable damage to structures and persons in the area if care is not taken.
He further stated“Those in the Northern part of the country should be very careful of the heavy rains and wind this season. The northern part of the country has little to no strong trees and vegetation, this season’s strong winds and rains can cause much damage to the area,” he stated.
In an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning show, Mr Joe Tetteh Portuphy called on residents of Northern Ghana to conduct integrity tests on their buildings to protect them against the winds.
“This is the time for them to ensure roof of schools, churches and homes undergo integrity tests. We will also advise them to reinforce their roof against heavy downpour. The Northern part of Ghana is a vast savanna land and strong winds can cause much damage if measures are not put in place,” he asserted.
On the average, this rainy season will see a rise as compared to two years ago. This year’s rainy season which started this April is likely to end in July and restart in September.
Northern Ghana will experience rains accompanied by strong winds from May to September, with the Southern part of the country experiencing a dry spill in August.
The Western Coast of Ghana will receive a cumulative volume of between 1,300mm to 1,400mm of rainfall, the Middle Belt will receive between 600mm to 700mm of rainfall with the Eastern Coast receiving 550mm of rains. The Greater Accra region will also receive between 80mm to 90mm of rain as predicted by the Ghana Meteorological Agency.