Aircraft visibility drops to 700 meters – Meteo

Mr Tetteh Portuphy, Senior Meteorologist at the Ghana Meteorological Agency, Kotoka International Airport, has revealed that current aircraft visibility level in the country has dropped to 700 meters “that is just too bad”.

“Normal visibility levels for an aircraft should be 10,000 meters and above therefore the 700 meters visibility level made it dangerous for domestic flights to operate,” Mr Portuphy told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra explaining the rationale for the temporal suspension of domestic flight.

He however assured domestic airline operators that atmospheric visibility would improve from Mid-December and get to levels which would make it safer for the domestic airlines to resume their operations.

Domestic Airlines in the country could resume operations shortly because the atmospheric haze which is typical of the harmmatan may soon get thinner.

The senior meteorologist said besides aircraft movement, the hazy weather conditions posed a number of potential threats.

Mr. Portuphy cautioned drivers and pedestrians alike to be very careful, especially at dawn when visibility was very poor, in order to avoid accidents.

He also said the atmospheric dryness increased the risk of fire outbreaks and advised that people especially smokers, should be extra careful and responsible with the use of fire, in order to prevent fire outbreaks.

Mr. Portuphy also said people especially the elderly and the very young, should put on protective clothing particularly at night, to avoid cold borne infections.

Domestic flights at the Kotoka International Airport have been suspended due to misty weather conditions, which characterize the harmattan season.

Source: GNA