•Aura confirmed the long rains season will be good and asked farmers to take advantage.
•She said the rains arrive on Friday in Turkana and Samburu counties; and Central Kenya including Nairobi, Embu, Meru, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri and Murang'a counties.
Image: MUSEMBI NZENGU
Light rains are expected over several parts of the country on Friday, marking the beginning of the long rains, the Met department has said.
The forecast shows high chances of a strong rainy season up to May in many parts of the country.
Met director Stella Aura said the rains have already begun in the Lake Victoria Basin and Rift Valley highlands.
Earlier, Aura confirmed the long rains season will be good and asked farmers to take advantage.
“Farmers are advised to liaise with the Ministry of Agriculture and agricultural extension officers for further advice,” she said.
She added: “The expected enhanced rainfall in these counties, coupled with high temperatures, may lead to emergence of pests and diseases,"
"Relevant authorities are therefore advised to stock enough herbicides and pesticides and to enhance disease surveillance, control and prevention.”
She said the rains arrive this Friday in Turkana, Samburu ,Nairobi, Embu, Meru, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri and Murang'a counties.
These regions expect afternoon and evening rains this weekend and next week.
Saturday could be the wettest day because the showers begin in the morning, Aura said in a five-day forecast ending on Monday.
She also expressed hope for northeastern Kenya, where few places will receive light rains the whole day beginning this weekend.
These are Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Isiolo counties.
Parts of South-eastern lowlands (Kitui, Makueni, Machakos, Kajiado and Taita Taveta counties) should also expect rains in a few places beginning this weekend.
However, rains at the Coast are only expected to begin on Monday.
Earlier, Aura also warned the rains might create favourable conditions for some diseases to spread.
“Vector-borne diseases such as malaria are likely to emerge over the Lake Victoria Basin, Northeast, Northwest and the Coastal areas especially in areas with poor drainage as these may harbour pools of stagnant water which create conducive breeding areas for mosquitoes,” she said.
Aura said that in areas expected to receive near to above average rainfall, water borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid may emerge as a result of flooding and subsequent contamination of water.
“Cases of dengue and chikungunya fevers may also increase over the Coastal region. Scarcity of food over the ASAL regions of Northeast may lead to malnutrition-related diseases,” she said.
Separately, Kitui Director of Meteorology Daniel Mbithi said the county will receive light rains this weekend, followed by heavier rains from Monday.
“Farmers are expected to start preparing their farms for onset planting. The March-April-May(MAM) 2022 onset is expected to be as from March 28, 2022,” Mbithi said.
Over a month ago the Kitui coordinator for National Drought Management Authority Francis Koma said that the number of people in dire need of relief food had doubled from 113,600 to 226,200 despite the October-December short rains.
Kitui has an estimated population of about 1.2 million people.
Koma said the food insecurity was aggravated by the fact that ahead of the last October-December rains, farmers ignored important advisory from the Met and agriculture departments.
Koma said that although farmers were advised to plant early and plant early maturing crops like mung beans, cowpeas, millet and sorghum, they planted late and opted for maize.
Last week Mbithi said Kitui was poised to receive enhanced rainfall in the March-May long rain season.
He said the rains will peak in April and subside in second or third week of May.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)