Kenya Met Issues Nationwide Heavy Rain Alert As Downpours Set To Intensify

The Kenya Meteorological Department, Kenya Met, has issued a nationwide alert warning Kenyans to prepare for a period of intensified rainfall expected to sweep across large parts of the country beginning Wednesday, March 4, through Monday, March 9.

In an advisory released on Tuesday, March 3, Kenya Met cautioned that several regions are likely to receive heavy downpours exceeding 20 millimetres within 24 hours.

The most affected areas are projected to include the Lake Victoria Basin, Western Kenya, parts of the Central Highlands, the Southeastern lowlands, and the Coastal region. According to forecasters, the rains will peak between Wednesday, March 4, and Saturday, March 7, before gradually subsiding on Sunday, March 8.

Counties in northwestern and western Kenya are among those expected to experience the most significant rainfall. These include Turkana, Samburu, West Pokot, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Migori, Nyamira, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Siaya, Kisumu, and Nakuru.

In the Central Highlands and surrounding areas, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, Meru, Kiambu, and Nairobi are also likely to receive substantial rainfall. Meanwhile, counties in the Rift Valley and southern regions such as Narok and Kajiado have been placed on alert.

Eastern and southeastern counties including Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, Taita-Taveta, Isiolo, Marsabit, Garissa, and parts of Wajir and Mandera are also expected to experience heavy showers. Along the Coast, Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, and Tana River are forecast to record intense rainfall episodes.

Additionally, Homa Bay, Kisii, Kericho, and Bomet in the western and southwestern parts of the country are projected to experience heightened precipitation during the forecast period.

Kenya Met has urged residents in all the highlighted regions to remain vigilant due to the heightened risk of floods and flash floods. Authorities warned that floodwaters could accumulate rapidly, even in areas that may not have received heavy rainfall directly, particularly in downstream locations where runoff from higher grounds can cause sudden surges.

“Residents in all the mentioned areas are advised to be on the lookout for potential floods, flash floods, and poor visibility. Flood waters may appear in places where it has not rained heavily, especially downstream,” the department stated.

Motorists and pedestrians have been cautioned against attempting to cross flooded roads or walking through fast-moving water, noting that even shallow floodwaters can pose danger. The advisory also urged members of the public to avoid sheltering under trees or near grilled windows during storms to reduce the risk of lightning strikes.

Weather officials assured Kenyans that regular updates would be issued should there be any significant changes to the forecast.

The department’s Director General, Edward Muriuki, recently linked the heavy rains experienced in February to a tropical weather system known as the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO).

Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Monday, March 2, Muriuki explained that although Kenya is gradually approaching the long rains season, which typically begins in mid-March, the showers recorded over the past two weeks were technically “off-season” rainfall events.

“In the past two weeks, we have experienced some off-season rains that have been occasioned by a tropical disturbance that moves in an easterly direction, which is known as the Madden-Julian Oscillation,” Muriuki said.

He further explained that the oscillation, first identified in 1971 by two scientists, has two primary phases: one that suppresses rainfall and another that enhances it. According to Muriuki, the country has recently been under the enhancing phase, which has contributed to the above-normal precipitation witnessed in various regions.

The Madden-Julian Oscillation is a large-scale atmospheric disturbance that travels eastward around the globe along the tropics. As it moves, it influences cloud formation, storm development, and rainfall distribution in tropical regions, including East Africa. Its active phase often results in increased rainfall, thunderstorms, and heightened storm activity.

With the official onset of the long rains season approaching, the intensified showers forecast for early March may serve as a precursor to wetter conditions ahead. The Kenya Met has therefore urged county governments, disaster response teams, and residents to take precautionary measures to mitigate potential damage to infrastructure, crops, and property.

As the country braces for several days of heavy rainfall, authorities continue to emphasize preparedness, caution, and adherence to official advisories to minimize risks associated with flooding and severe weather conditions.

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