Met Department Explains Rain, Cold Weather In September

The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) has explained why some parts of the country, including Nairobi, have been experiencing cold weather and rains.

In its weather update on Wednesday, September 7, the weatherman explained that the rains were due to the shifting of the humid Congo airmass towards Eastern Africa.

As for the cold, this was attributed to a mix of wet conditions and cold air from Southern Africa.

An aerial image of the Lake Victoria basin. /FILE

However, the weatherman noted that warmer conditions would be expected during the upcoming weekend.

"The rains currently being experienced in the Western and Central highlands including Nairobi are due to the shifting of the humid Congo airmass (meridional arm of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone, ITCZ) towards Eastern Africa due to weaker pressures over the Mozambique channel

"The cold weather is due to a coupling of the wet conditions with an influx of cold air from Southern Africa. Warmer conditions are expected into the weekend, however, rains will continue mainly over the western parts of the country and over a few places in the central highlands," KMD stated in part.

On average, several parts of the country will experience generally sunny and dry weather conditions during the month of September.

However, the Lake Victoria Basin, the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, Central Rift Valley and parts of the Southern Rift Valley are likely to experience above-average rainfall.

Occasional light morning showers are expected along the Coastal Strip while the Highlands East of the Rift Valley (including Nairobi County) are likely to experience occasional afternoon showers as well as occasional cloudy conditions in the mornings, especially at the beginning of the month.

Sunny and dry conditions are, however, likely to prevail over the North-Eastern, South-Eastern, Coastal strip and most of North-Western throughout the month.

The “Short Rains” October-November-December (OND) 2022 season constitutes an important rainfall season in Kenya, particularly in the Central and South-eastern regions of Kenya.

During OND 2022, it is expected that most parts of the country will experience depressed (below average) rainfall that will be poorly distributed in both time and space. However, isolated incidences of storms that could cause flash floods are likely to occur despite the expected depressed rains.

The areas likely to receive below-average (depressed) rainfall are The Lake Victoria Basin, Highlands West of the Rift Valley and Central and South Rift Valley, Counties in North Western Kenya; parts of the Highlands East of the Rift Valley and parts of South-Eastern Kenya.

The areas with increased probabilities for below-average (highly depressed) rainfall are indicated over North Eastern Counties, the Coastal region, much of southeastern Kenya, and parts of the Highlands East of the Rift Valley.

However, a small section of the western sector of the country (Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia, Trans Nzoia, and parts of West Pokot) is likely to receive near-average, tending below-average rainfall.

Scene of an accident that occurred at the Lari area along Nairobi-Nakuru Highway on July 8, 2022. /ST JOHN AMBULANCE