The Kenya Meteorological Department has cautioned residents living in the Highlands West and Highlands East of the Rift Valley, Lake Victoria Basin, Southeastern Lowlands, and North-eastern Kenya to brace for heavy rains for the next seven days, from Tuesday, April 15, to Monday, April 21.
The announcement was made by Kenya Met Director David Gikungu on Tuesday, April 15, where he warned residents of Central Kenya living in the counties of Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, and Nairobi to prepare for continuous downpour for the next seven days.
Gikungu urged the residents living in the aforementioned areas to brace for heavy rains, which he predicted would begin mostly in the afternoon.
“Morning rains are expected over a few places, giving way to sunny intervals. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms are likely to occur over several places. Night showers are expected over a few places, occasionally spreading over,” Gikungu said.
He also told residents living in the counties located in the Lake Victoria basin and Rift Valley region, including Siaya, Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Baringo, Uasin Gishu, and Elgeyo-Marakwet, to prepare for a similar weather pattern.
Other counties located within the Lake Victoria basin and Rift Valley regions include Nandi, Nakuru, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia, and West Pokot.
Heavy rains were also forecast in the South Eastern lowland counties of Kitui, Makueni, Machakos, Kajiado, and Taita Taveta Counties, as well as inland parts of Tana River County.
According to the Kenya Met boss, mornings in the South Eastern lowland counties are likely to be cloudy, with light rains over a few places, giving way to sunny intervals. However, afternoon and night showers and thunderstorms are likely to occur.
While warning of heavy rains in most parts of the country, Gikungu also urged Kenyans living in Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, and Nairobi to prepare for very cold nights.
He said the above areas would experience very cold night temperatures of below 9°C for the better part of the forecast period; however, the night temperatures would rise to 10°C on the final days of the 7 days.
On the other hand, Kenyans living in the coastal and northeastern counties of Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu, Kwale, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, and Isiolo were told to prepare for very high daytime temperatures.
The Kenya Met boss noted that the daytime temperatures in the above counties would experience temperatures of about 33°C for a better part of the forecast period.
