Kenya Meteorological Department Director David Gikungu has noted that Kenya will experience El Nino between October and December.
Appearing on Citizen TV on Monday, the director differed with his assistant, David Koros, who had told the press earlier that the phenomenon was not El Nino but enhanced rainfall.
Gikungu insisted that the upcoming enhanced rainfall, to start in the second week of October, will be accompanied by rising temperatures and high seas making it an El Nino.
"That is something I would like to debunk from the beginning of this show. The El Nino is with us. If there is going to be a change, you will hear it from me first," he explained.
"We have given the forecast, the El Nino is with us, and the story about there being no El Nino and rainfall just being enhanced, there is misinformation somewhere."
He further explained that no two phenomena are identical but insisted that the effects of the upcoming El Nino will be intense.
"No two El Nino events are the same. It is okay to compare with the (1998) El Nino with all devastation that it caused but they are never the same. There has been several over the years," he added.
"In Western Kenya where it has been raining in September, we expect that to continue until when we expect El Nino to start. The second week of October. We expect that to continue into December. There is a likelihood of getting to January with heavy rainfall. Peak of the event is November."
Earlier, Koros had debunked that the upcoming phenomena were not El Nino, basing his argument on projections the department released on Monday.
"It is not as such El Nino rains, those drivers are enhancing the rainfall. It is trying to improve what was there. What we are seeing is enhanced rainfall compared to what was there. It is not El Nino, it is enhance rainfall," he stated.
In direct response to the media coverage, the department refuted the claims in a clear statement asking Kenyans to be weary of the conditions.
"Kindly take note that the El Niño phenomenon remains in effect. As a result, it is expected that both the month of October and the entire season is likely to receive above-average rainfall, which remains linked to the ongoing El Niño event," Kenya Met quote retweeted.
El Nino is a climate pattern originating from the Pacific Ocean running along the Equator. It is accompanied by rising seas and increased temperatures
Areas expected to see increased rainfall include Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, Central, and Southern Rift Valley among others.
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