The Director General of the Kenya Meteorological Department, David Gikungu, has revealed that the long rains are yet to begin despite occasional downpours in several parts of the country.
Speaking on Monday, March 10, during an interview on Citizen TV, Gikungu stated that the rainfall experienced in Kenya since Saturday last week was short-lived, with the long rains expected to begin in the final week of March and early April.
According to the Kenya Met boss, the current rains are expected to start subsiding from Wednesday and Thursday this week in most parts of the country.
However, he noted that in some areas, particularly in western Kenya, the rainfall could persist but in moderate amounts.
“The rainfall that we have experienced since yesterday and, in some parts, the day before yesterday, is short-lived, and the expected long rainfall season is yet to begin,” Gikungu noted.
“However, that said, there are some places, especially in western Kenya, where rainfall may continue, though not in the high magnitude we have seen over the last few days,” he added.
While addressing the matter, Gikungu urged farmers to consider commencing their planting activities when the long rains officially begin in early April.
Meanwhile, Gikungu’s remarks come in the wake of heavy rains across the country, which began on Saturday, March 8. According to the meteorological department, the current rains are expected to continue until Thursday, March 13.
In its weekly advisory published on Monday, March 10, the meteorological department announced that rainfall is expected in eight regions across the country.
The report projected moderate to heavy rain in the Highlands West and East of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, the Rift Valley, parts of the Coastal Region, the Southeastern Lowlands, and the Northwestern and Northeastern regions.
In particular, the counties of Nairobi, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, and Tharaka Nithi are expected to receive rain over the next two days, up to Wednesday, March 12.
Despite the rains, the weather department also cautioned Kenyans to brace for high temperatures exceeding 30°C in most regions, as well as strong southeasterly winds surpassing 25 knots (12.9 m/s) in parts of northwestern and northeastern Kenya.
