The Ghana Meteorological Agency says a rainstorm moving in from the Togo-Benin coast could trigger fresh thunderstorms over southern Ghana, with the sea classified as dangerous, as Accra reels from a morning of severe flooding.
Accra’s flood ordeal may not be over for the day. In its 18-hour forecast issued on Monday, GMet said the rain currently affecting the coast and parts of the interior would persist through the day.
More significantly, it flagged a weak to moderate rainstorm positioned along the Togo-Benin coastline that is advancing westwards, a system expected to bring increased cloud cover and trigger thunderstorms with rain over southern Ghana from the morning into the afternoon.
The agency said the disturbance would become more active from the morning into the afternoon, enhancing moisture over southern Ghana and raising the likelihood of thunderstorms with moderate to heavy rainfall across several coastal and inland districts before gradually weakening later in the day.
For Accra, the bulletin forecasts thunderstorms in the morning, with a 60 per cent probability of occurrence, easing to rain by the afternoon. Daytime temperatures along the coast are expected to reach about 30 degrees Celsius.
GMet has also classified the state of the sea as dangerous, the highest of its warning levels, advising fishermen, coastal residents and operators of small vessels to exercise extreme caution.
A dangerous classification is issued when wave heights are expected to exceed 2.5 metres, the threshold considered hazardous under local safety standards.
The forecast lands on a morning that has seen large parts of the capital cut off, with major roads impassable, markets including Agbogbloshie submerged and rescue operations underway in flood-hit communities such as Mallam-Gbawe.
The Interior Ministry has urged the public to stay indoors and avoid all unnecessary movement until conditions improve, and the Minister has gone further, asking employers to let staff work from home.
With the heaviest activity forecast for the afternoon, GMet’s outlook suggests the worst of the day’s weather may not yet have passed. The agency said it would continue to monitor conditions and issue updates as the situation develops.
