The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) has identified various regions that are expected to experience heavy rain and storms from January 12 to January 16.
In a statement on Friday, December 12, KMD said isolated storms and intense rainfall are forecasted in several parts of the Rift Valley, including Nairobi.
“Isolated storms likely in parts of Highlands East of Rift Valley, including Nairobi County, South Rift Valley, and South-eastern lowlands,” said KMD.
Additionally, the weatherman listed areas likely to experience relative rainfall.
Parts of Western, Lake Victoria Basin, Central Highlands, Southeastern and South Coast are expected to receive relative rainfall.
On the other hand, Isiolo and Samburu areas are forecasted to experience precipitation from Friday to Monday.
Also, the meteorological department listed areas that are expected to receive low rainfall, or likely to remain dry.
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“North-eastern and North-western Kenya will be predominantly dry, except for possible rainfall in Isiolo and Samburu from Friday to Monday,” added KMD.
Meteorological Department forecast on El Nino rain
In a December 28 statement, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura maintained that the mitigation measures undertaken by the government were successful.
“The current situation remains stable and has shown significant progress,” read part of the statement.
Additionally, Mwaura revealed that the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps had dropped from its peak of 170 to 95.
According to the statement, 67,255 individuals remained displaced as of December 28, 2023.
KMD’s alert came with heavy rain expected to continue in 2024, as forecasted by the world meteorological department.
In November, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that El Nino rains will continue until April 2024.
Weather experts indicated that instead of the earlier predicted three-month period, the rains would last for an even longer period.
Further, WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas stated that the rains would also lead to other natural disasters including drought, wildfires and floods.
“The ongoing El Niño event is expected to last at least until April 2024, influencing weather patterns and contributing to a further spike in temperatures both on land and in the ocean,” stated Taalas.
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Hot Year
On the flipside, the weatherman revealed that one of the impacts of El Nino would be a record of extreme high temperatures in 2024.
The report explained that it was due to the contribution of the increasing concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases from human activities.
“But as a result of record high land and sea-surface temperatures since June, the year 2023 is now on track to be the warmest year on record. Next year may be even warmer.
“It is important to note that El Niño is not the only factor that drives global and regional climate patterns, and that the magnitudes of El Niño indicators do not directly correspond to the magnitudes of their effects,” noted WMO.
