Kenya Met Issues Warning Over Heat Wave Across The Country

Dry and hot weather conditions are set to persist across large parts of the country over the next five days, according to the Kenya Meteorological Department.

In its latest weekly weather outlook covering the period from Tuesday, January 13, to Saturday, January 17, the Kenya Met warned that most regions will continue to experience sunny and dry conditions, with only isolated areas expected to receive occasional rainfall.

According to the forecast, only a few locations within the Highlands east and west of the Rift Valley, the Rift Valley itself, the Lake Victoria Basin, and the south-eastern lowlands may experience brief and sporadic rainfall during the period.

However, the weatherman emphasized that these showers will be limited, and the overall weather pattern will remain largely dry and hot across the country.

The department also cautioned residents in parts of northern and coastal Kenya to prepare for strong winds. Counties such as Turkana, Marsabit, Samburu, and Mombasa are expected to experience strong winds reaching speeds of up to 25 knots, conditions that may affect marine activities, aviation, and other outdoor operations.

In the Central Highlands and surrounding areas, including Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, and Tharaka Nithi counties, day-long sunny conditions are forecast to dominate on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, as well as on Friday and Saturday mornings.

A few isolated areas may receive light showers during Friday and Saturday afternoons, while nights throughout the week are expected to remain partly cloudy.

Temperatures in these highland regions are expected to remain moderate, with daytime maximums reaching about 29°C, while nighttime minimums are projected to drop to around 7°C.

In the south-eastern lowlands, parts of Kitui, Makueni, Machakos, Kajiado, and Taita Taveta counties, along with inland areas of Tana River County, may experience light morning showers on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. At other times, hot and sunny conditions are expected to prevail. Maximum temperatures in these areas are forecast to rise to about 32°C, with minimum temperatures dropping to around 14°C.

Along the Coast, residents of Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu, Kwale, and Tana River counties are expected to experience sunny and dry conditions throughout the day for most of the forecast period. These counties will likely record high daytime temperatures of up to 32°C, while nighttime temperatures are expected to remain warm, averaging around 23°C.

Meanwhile, counties within the Lake Victoria Basin, the Rift Valley, and western Kenya, including Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Baringo, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Nakuru, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia, and West Pokot, are expected to experience sunny intervals throughout Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, as well as on Friday and Saturday mornings. According to the forecast, afternoon showers may occur in some areas on Friday and Saturday.

During this period, maximum temperatures in these regions are expected to reach about 31°C, while minimum temperatures may fall to as low as 7°C, especially in higher altitude areas.

In the northern and north-eastern parts of the country, residents of Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, and Isiolo counties should brace for persistently sunny and dry conditions throughout the week. These areas are expected to experience some of the highest temperatures nationwide, with daytime maximums soaring to about 38°C, while nighttime minimums are forecast to settle around 16°C.

Similarly, Turkana and Samburu counties are expected to experience mostly sunny weather, with occasional partly cloudy conditions. The Kenya Meteorological Department forecasts maximum temperatures of up to 38°C and minimum temperatures of about 17°C in these counties.

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