Met Department Announces Rainfall In Five Areas

The weatherman noted that most parts of the country would continue experiencing dry weather during the seven-day period.

Met Department Announces Rainfall In Five Areas
Rainfall at Roasters area along Thika Road. /MARVIN CHEGE.VIRALTEAKE

The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) has listed five regions in the country expected to receive rainfall this week.

In its weather update on Tuesday, October 25, KMD listed North Eastern and Coast regions among the areas that will receive rainfall from October 25 to Monday, October 31.

Others include the Central Rift Valley, Highlands West of the Rift Valley and the Lake Victoria Basin.

Dry ground during drought in Kenya. /FILE

However, the weatherman noted that most parts of the country would continue experiencing dry weather during the seven-day period.

"Most of the country is likely to experience sunny, dry weather from October 25 to October 31st, 2022. However, some regions of the Coast, North Eastern Kenya, Central Rift Valley, Highlands West of the Rift Valley, Lake Victoria Basin are expected to receive rainfall," the statement noted in part.

In the Coastal counties of Mombasa, Tana-River, Kilifi, Lamu and Kwale, days are expected to be sunny and nights partly cloudy. However, occasional morning showers may occur over a few places during the first half of the forecast period.

"Average daytime (maximum) temperatures are likely to be high (more than 30°C) over the Coast, North-western and North-eastern Kenya as well as over some parts of the Highlands West of the Rift Valley. Average nighttime (minimum) temperatures are likely to be low (less than 10°C) over some parts of the Highlands East of the Rift Valley," the department added.

The rain will come as a relief to residents of the North Eastern region who are currently experiencing hunger due to prolonged drought. The affected counties include Mandera, Garissa, Isiolo, Wajir and Marsabit.

An estimated 3.1 million people in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) of Kenya are severely food insecure following three consecutive poor rainy seasons that have hampered crop production.

President William Ruto's administration has been taking the necessary steps to combat the drought situation in Kenya.

On Monday, September 26, he directed his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, to convene a crisis meeting to harmonise interventions aimed at mitigating the effects of the severe drought in almost 20 counties, a meeting which also brought together county governors.

This is after the United Nations (UN) warned of a looming crisis, placing over 3.5 million people at risk due to drought in the Horn of Africa. UN had warned that the number had more than tripled in the past six months- rising from 1.1 million. 

"We cannot afford to waste another moment debating the merits of doing something vis a vis doing nothing. It will soon be too late to reverse the course of events.”

"3.1 million residents of these ASALs are now severely food-insecure on account of scarce rainfall over three consecutive seasons, leading to poor crop and pasture. This unprecedented confluence of intensely adverse events has exacerbated water scarcity and starvation, worsened by rising food prices, thus complicating Kenya’s roadmap towards delivering good quality of life to our citizens," Ruto addressed during the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA on Wednesday, September 21.


President William Ruto, First Lady Rachel Ruto and US President Joe Biden. /FILE