The Changes in Temperature and Relative Humidity in Lagos State, Nigeria

The variability in the temperature and Relative Humidity (RH) observed within Lagos State, a coastal region in Nigeria, is investigated using data from Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) for 1980 to 2010. The results reveal an annual mean value of 27.20°C and 83.01% for the temperature and RH respectively and an increasing trend in RH over the study period while such rising trend in the mean temperature is reversed from 2005 to 2010. The findings show an inverse relationship between the temperature and RH while it further indicates that low temperature is associated with increased rainfall under the accompanying cloudy condition and vice versa. These observations are supported by the strong correlation coefficients between the RH and the rainfall (0.72) and that between the RH and the temperature (-0.95) while -0.59 is obtained between the rainfall and the corresponding temperature. The correlations show that the impacts of the precipitation on RH are stronger than the effects it has on the temperature while both temperature and RH strongly depends on each other. Hence, under a future global warming, extremely warm atmospheric condition characterized by high RH in the coastal region could cause heat stroke, discomfort and health problems among the inhabitants. However, the area becomes conducive and attractive to tourists under moderate RH and good temperature.