The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned Kenyans living in various parts of the country to brace for moderate to heavy rains over the weekend, from Friday, April 18, to Tuesday, April 22.
Kenya Met Director General David Gikungu, in a notice on Friday, April 18, said heavy rains were expected in the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, the South-eastern Lowlands, the Coast, as well as North-western and North-eastern Kenya.
In his advisory, Gikungu said residents of Central Kenya who live in the counties of Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, Tharaka, and Nairobi would receive heavy rains starting on Friday afternoon.
According to the Kenya Met boss, mornings in the aforementioned counties were likely to be cloudy, paving the way for heavy rains in the afternoon that would be accompanied by thunderstorms.
Heavy rains were also predicted in the counties located within the Lake Victoria basin and the Rift Valley regions, including Siaya, Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Baringo, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo-Marakwet.
Other counties located within the Lake Victoria basin and the Rift Valley regions are Nandi, Nakuru, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia and Pokot West.
Gikungu also told locals living in the Northern counties of Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Isiolo to brace for moderate to heavy rains, particularly from tomorrow afternoon.
A similar weather pattern was expected in the South-eastern lowland counties of Kitui, Makueni, Machakos, Kajiado and Taita Taveta Counties as well as inland parts of Tana River County.
Meanwhile, despite warning of heavy rains in various parts of Kenya, Gikungu also cautioned 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 10C for the five days of the forecast period.
On the flip side, residents 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.
Gikungu stated that the daytime temperatures in the above counties would experience temperatures of about 37°C for a better part of the forecast period.
