Brace for heavy rainfall, Weatherman warns Kenyans

A fallen tree blocking one side of Mbagathi Way. [Courtesy, Twitter]

Heavy rainfall is expected in most parts of the country between the months of March and May.

The latest update from the Kenya Metrological Department indicated that the Lake Victoria Basin, the Highlands East of the Rift Valley (including Nairobi County), the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Northwest, the Southern Rift Valley the Central Rift Valley and the Southeastern lowlands will experience enhanced rainfall.

According to the weatherman, near average rainfall is expected over Northeastern and the Coastal regions over the same period.

“The peak of the rains is expected to be in the month of April for most regions except over the Coastal Strip where the peak is expected during the month of May,” said the weatherman.

The latest update comes as parts of Nairobi experienced a heavy downpour with hailstorms for the better part of today afternoon.

An assessment report for rain performance in 2021 indicated that the March to May long rains were mixed across the country.

In the western, north-western, central, southwestern, parts of the southeast of the country and Mandera county, the rains were mostly 91 – 110 per cent of normal with western and parts of Mandera, Turkana, Kitui, Narok and West Pokot receiving amounts between 111 – 140 per cent of normal.

The report by the Kenya Food Security Steering Group (KFSSG) indicated that the rainfall onset was timely in the western parts of the country but varied in the eastern parts of the country.

According to the report, the rains were poorly distributed in space and time, particularly where below-average rainfall was received significantly affecting cropping both livestock and crop production.