The March-April-May seasonal rainfall will highly impact the agriculture sector and food security, the Kenya Meteorological Department forecast shows.
“March-April-May (MAM) season constitutes an important rainfall season in Kenya and more so over the Western, Rift Valley and Central regions,” Kenya Meteorological Department director Dr David Gikungu said on Friday.
Close to five million Kenyans are in dire need of humanitarian help.
Millions of livestock, especially in arid and semi-arid areas, have died. Thousands of wildlife have also died.
The state has however rolled out some of the initiatives to salvage the situation.
This includes food and water distribution to the needy, and hay for both livestock and wildlife, among other initiatives.
Gikungu said the rainfall that was expected in several parts of the country over the weekend, was a result of the impacts of cyclone Freddy.
“Freddy developed off the North Australian coast and became a named storm on 6 February. It crossed the entire South Indian Ocean and made landfall in Madagascar on February 21 and then in Mozambique on February 24," he said.
Gikungu said Freddy was responsible for the rainfall that was experienced during the last week of February in parts of the highlands west of the Rift Valley and Lake Victoria Basin as it made landfall in Mozambique.
Gikungu said the storm spent several days tracking over Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It finally looped back towards the Mozambique Channel and picked up energy from the warm waters and moved towards the south-western coast of Madagascar.
“This resulted in the current dry weather conditions being experienced over most parts of the country. Freddy is now moving away from Madagascar and is expected to intensify as it moves again towards Mozambique,” Gikungu said.
He said the storm is expected to make landfall in Mozambique on Friday and bring with it rainfall in some parts of the country.
Gikungu said 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 experienced light to moderate rainfall at the weekend.
The rainfall is expected to increase in intensity and spread to several places from Monday.
“This will mark the onset of the MAM long rain season over the mentioned areas as had earlier been predicted," Gikungu said.
He said farmers in these areas should liaise with the Ministry of Agriculture in their respective counties for advice on the appropriate seeds to plant as well as good agricultural practices to maximise their yields.
Gikungu said the expected rainfall over the western sector of the country is likely to occasionally spill over to a few areas over the highlands east of the Rift Valley, including Nairobi.
Apart from Nairobi, other areas include Nyandarua, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu and Tharaka.
Gikungu said the rainfall is expected to increase in intensity and spread to several places towards the end of the third week of March.
“Onset of the seasonal rainfall is expected towards the end of the third week and beginning of the fourth week of March,” he said.
Gikungu said Turkana, West Pokot and Samburu expected light rainfall over a few areas over the weekend, with intensities expected to increase from Tuesday.
“The onset over these areas is however undefined as the rainfall is likely to be followed by long dry spells,” he said.
Light rainfall is expected in Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera and Marsabit, especially areas bordering Ethiopia. The rainfall is likely to increase in intensity from Wednesday.
The onset over these areas is however undefined as the rainfall is likely to be followed by long dry spells.
Kajiado, Kitui, Makueni, Machakos and Taita Taveta will likely remain generally dry, but a few areas might occasionally receive some light rainfall from Tuesday.
The rainfall is expected to spread to several areas during the fourth week of March, which will mark the onset of seasonal rainfall.
Mombasa, Tana River, Kilifi, Lamu and Kwale are expected to remain generally sunny for the remainder of March.
However, occasional rainfall may be experienced, especially from the fourth week of March.
Onset is expected during the first to second week of April on the South Coast and second to third week of April in North Coast.
