The Kenya Meteorological Department has issued a five-day weather alert, warning of moderate to heavy rains across key regions, while also forecasting cold nights in the highlands and scorching daytime temperatures in northeastern counties starting on Friday, December 12.
In its weekend weather advisory, Kenya Met said the rains were likely to occur in the Central Kenya and West of the Rift Valley, the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, the Northeastern, Coastal, and South-Eastern Lowlands.
According to the meteorological department, the rains mark an imminent end to the prolonged dry spell that had been witnessed in the country for nearly two months.
The weather department warned that the downpour was expected to gradually increase across several areas as the forecast period progresses.
In the Central Kenya region, rains were predicted to occur in Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Nairobi counties.
As per the forecast, the rains in the aforementioned areas would begin on Friday evening, with the downpour expected to persist on Saturday and further increase on Sunday and Monday.
In the Lake Victoria Basin, the Rift Valley region and Western Kenya, rains were projected in the counties of Siaya, Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, and Baringo.
A similar weather pattern was forecasted in Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Nakuru, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia and West Pokot counties.
In the North Eastern region counties of Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Isiolo, rains were predicted to occur in moderate amounts for the next five days.
Temperature Advisory
In its advisory, the weather department also warned of very cold night temperatures in Central Kenya and some parts of the Rift Valley region.
According to Kenya Met, the counties expected to be affected include Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Nairobi, with temperatures in the above areas expected to drop to 5°C.
Similarly, high daytime temperature was predicted in some parts of the country, especially in the North Eastern and Coastal counties of Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu and Kwale.
Daytime temperatures in the aforementioned counties were predicted to hit 37°C for the next five days.
