Brace for heavy rains, says weatherman
A traffic officer assists Mombasa County workers to unblock a drain after Links Road flooded following a heavy downpour on March 28, 2017. The Kenya Meteorological Department says the country will experience heavy rains in the next few days. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Forecast for April 19 to April 23 showed that it will rain in Nairobi area and Central Kenya highlands.
- North-western counties of Turkana, West Pokot and Samburu however would experience rains over few places in the morning.
Kenyans should brace themselves for heavy rainfall in the next three to four days.
Kenya Meteorological Department Deputy Director Samuel Mwangi told the Nation on Wednesday that though the rains are poorly distributed in terms of time, amount and space, most parts of the country would continue to experience heavy downpours for the better part of this month.
“The country will continue to receive more intense rains in the next three to four days, then this will reduce later in April and early May,” said Mr Mwangi.
He said it is a normal occurrence in a rainy season that does not perform well to have episodes of rainfall punctuated by dry spells and advised famers to conserve soil moisture and citizens to carry umbrellas wherever they go.
THUNDERSTORM
In the latest five-day weather forecast issued by the weatherman on Tuesday, most parts of the country were predicted to get rainfall in the morning, with showers and thunderstorms expected over several places in the afternoon.
The forecast for April 19 to April 23 showed that it will rain in the Nairobi area and Central Kenya highlands (Nyandarua, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi) in the morning, showers without thunderstorms over several places in the afternoon with temperatures ranging between 12 and 27 degrees Celsius.
The report also showed that the Lake Victoria Basin, highlands west of the Rift Valley, Central and South Rift Valley covering counties such as Siaya, Kisumu, Migori, Homa Bay, Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Baringo, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi, Laikipia, Nakuru, Narok, Kajiado, Kericho, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Busia will experience rains in the morning for the first three days and then sunny intervals in the last two days.
Showers and thunderstorms will occur in these areas in the afternoon, with temperatures falling as low as six degrees Celsius.
LONG RAINS
The north-western counties of Turkana, West Pokot and Samburu, however, will experience rains over few places in the morning, showers and thunderstorms some areas in the afternoon, with high temperatures of between 25 and 38 degrees Celsius.
The northeastern counties of Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Isiolo are also expected to receive rains over several places in the morning with temperatures of between 16 and 37 degrees Celsius in the afternoon.
The coastal strip covering Mombasa, Tana River, Kilifi, Lamu and Kwale counties will, however, have showers over a few places in the morning in the first two days, with the possibility of showers over a few places for the next three days.
Moreover, sunny intervals will be experienced in the afternoon across the five days, with temperatures ranging between 23 and 34 degrees Celsius.
In its monthly weather forecast for April issued on March 31, the Meteorological Department indicated that April will mark the peak month of the “long rains” season with most parts of the country likely to experience near-average rainfall.
