A rainy evening in Nairobi's central business district on May 8, 2019
DELUGE? A rainy evening in Nairobi’s central business district on May 8, 2019
Image: FILE

 

By Reporter

The ongoing rains will persist in several parts of the country until June, the weatherman has said in their latest forecast released on Tuesday.

There will be enhanced rainfall over most parts of Western Kenya including the Lake Victoria Basin, parts of Northwestern Kenya, central Rift Valley and parts of Central Kenya including Nairobi.

These include Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Baringo, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Laikipia, Nakuru, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Busia counties.

Director of Meteorological Services Stella Aura said near average to above-average rainfall is expected over the rest of the country, particularly in the Eastern and Coastal regions.

She spoke on Tuesday while releasing the March-May weather outlook at the Meteorological department headquarters in Nairobi.

Aura said occasional rains are expected to continue in Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii and  Nyamira counties and are likely to intensify from the first week of February until March.

There have been flooding and occasional flash floods in Homa Bay and Kisumu counties in the last two weeks.

The onset of rains in the Central highlands including Nairobi, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Embu, Meru, Kiambu and Nyandarua is expected in the second to the third week of March. The forecast shows it will end in the third or fourth week of May.

In parts of Narok, occasional rains are expected to continue and are likely to intensify from the first week of March until the fourth week of May.

In Nakuru and Laikipia, rainfall is expected in the first to the second week of March and will continue into June, while Kajiado, Kitui, Makueni, Machakos and Tana River will start experiencing rain in the third week of March until mid-May. 

“The onset of rainfall in Southern Coastal Strip of Kwale, Mombasa and parts of Kilifi is expected in the second to the third week of March and will continue into June. Northern Coastal Strip of Lamu, coastal parts of Tana River and Kilifi will have rains from the third to fourth week of March into June,” she said. 

In Turkana, Samburu and West Pokot counties, rainfall is expected in the fourth week of March and will persist until the first week of April. 

Northern counties of Wajir, Isiolo, Garissa, Mandera and Marsabit will have rains from the third week of March until May. 

Aura said much of the country and especially most of the western and southern regions are likely to experience enhanced rainfall.