Expect heavy rainfall, hot temperatures in the next seven days – MET

Kenyans walking in the rain in Nairobi/FILE

Kenya is set to experience widespread rainfall and notable temperature variations between December 16 and December 22, according to the latest seven-day weather forecast issued by the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD).

In its advisory, the department said rainfall is expected over several regions, including the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the Rift Valley itself, the Lake Victoria Basin, the Coast, North-eastern Kenya and the South-eastern lowlands.

These conditions are likely to affect major agricultural zones as well as urban centres during the week under review.

The forecast indicates that daytime temperatures will rise above 30 degrees Celsius in parts of the Coast, North-eastern and North-western Kenya, as well as sections of the South-eastern lowlands, the Rift Valley and the Highlands West of the Rift Valley.

At the same time, significantly cold night-time conditions are expected in high-altitude areas, with minimum temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius in parts of the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, sections of the Rift Valley and areas near Mt Kilimanjaro.

A regional breakdown shows that counties in the Lake Victoria Basin and the Highlands West of the Rift Valley—including Kisumu, Kakamega, Kisii, Kericho and Bungoma—are likely to experience sunny mornings followed by afternoon showers and occasional thunderstorms, with some night showers.

In North-western Kenya, covering Turkana and Samburu counties, sunny intervals are expected during the day, although isolated morning rains and afternoon or night thunderstorms may occur in a few areas.

In the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, including Nairobi and surrounding counties, cloudy mornings with occasional rainfall are expected, giving way to sunny intervals and scattered afternoon showers.

Coastal counties such as Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale and Lamu are forecast to receive showers at various times of the day and night, while maintaining sunny intervals during the daytime.

The forecast follows a week in which rainfall increased across much of the country.

During the period between December 8 and December 14, the highest seven-day rainfall total of 160.2 millimetres was recorded at the Winfred Kavengi rainfall station in Kitui County, which also logged the highest 24-hour rainfall on December 13.

Temperature records from the same period show Lodwar registering the highest daily maximum temperature at 37.1 degrees Celsius, while Nyahururu recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 4.7 degrees Celsius .

The Kenya Meteorological Department advised that the weekly outlook should be used alongside daily and five-day forecasts, noting that county-specific updates are available through local meteorological offices.