By Hassan I. Conteh

There have been recent changes in the weather in Sierra Leone.

It is noticed by many people in the country.

Some people have observed that rains came late in the year 2023 than other years in the past.

Others say the weather change has occurred for the past three years in Sierra Leone.

The rainy season is not like how it was in the 1990s, most people have observed.

The dry season too is different now.

While it is too hot in days’ time in September and October, now it is very cold and at the same time very hot at night hours.

The weather used to be very raining throughout July, August in Sierra Leone.

But, this pattern has changed too completely.

A teacher at Haraka Islamic Institute in Freetown, Sheikh Hamza, shared his experience on the matter.

“We have noticed that the weather has changed completely. This morning there is more dew seen up the hills of Kissy [east end,” he said.

He spoke on the early days of October this year.

His view was supported by his students who also believed that the wet season in Sierra Leone has changed completely.

Other people also believe that the climate in Sierra Leone like other countries in the world has changed completely.

This is what scientists now call Climate Change. It means the changes in the world’s weather patterns.

For example, where storms are never common, now they are common there.

In countries where the sun is not too hot, now it is hotter there the more.

Where there used to be cold weather with dew, and ice storms there are now more hot-burning sun in summer times.

While there are more thunderbolts and lightening in winter months.

Sierra Leone has recently seen foggy weather due to climate changes.

The hills of the peninsula are seen with dew falling off in July, September, October and November, in recent two years.

The clouds are “thick-dark” or gloomy in the rainy season mostly between July and November.

In 2022 and 2023, there has not been much rain fall than in the years of 2005 to 2011 in the past.

A woman in Waterloo in a village called Joe Town talks about a stop on Sierra Leone’s continuous seven days rain in July known to be a tradition. Waterloo is just about 21 miles away from the capital.

“We do not get the seven days rain this year,” she said.

“That used to affect businesses a lot.

“We are seeing early signs of hotter nights and hotter days now till next year.

This is strange to us unlike other previous years we’ve got used to be seeing with more rains coming even in October’s nights. Now the month of October brings more cold rains during the days.

“Yesterday’s rain [November 19, 2023] began with heavy dark clouds which later brought about some heavy storms by 6:43 pm [Waterloo].”