Francis Wambugu Irungu Residents in western and central Kenya have been advised to brace for heavier-than-normal rainfall through the end of June, following a forecast issued by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (IGAD CPAC) on June 22.
The regional body, in residents in western and central Kenya have been advised to brace for heavier-than-normal rainfall through the end of June, following a forecast issued by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center (IGAD CPAC) on June 22.
The regional body, in its weekly bulletin, identified Kenya among Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) countries expected to receive significant rainfall, with moderate precipitation of between 50 and 200 millimeters forecast for several counties across the two regions. Counties in the western region set to be affected include Kisii, Nyamira, Kisumu, Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga, Siaya, and Homa Bay, while those in the central region include Nyeri, Murang’a, Kiambu, Embu, Kirinyaga, and Tharaka Nithi.
“More than usual rainfall is expected over northern and south-western parts of South Sudan, parts of central to western and northern Ethiopia and isolated areas of both northern Uganda and central to western regions of Kenya,” IGAD stated.
The forecast aligns with a separate weekly outlook by the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority (KMSA), which similarly projected rainfall over the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the Rift Valley, the Coast, and parts of North-Eastern Kenya. Southern and coastal counties are also expected to receive some rainfall, though below the 50-millimetre threshold, with flooding in those areas considered unlikely.
Across the broader GHA region, South Sudan faces the heaviest forecast burden, with most of its territory expected to receive moderate to heavy rainfall throughout the period, while Ethiopia’s central, western, and northern regions are also forecast to receive moderate rainfall.
The bulletin comes as the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has flagged the Greater Horn of Africa as one of the regions likely to experience El Niño conditions between October and December this year’s weekly bulletin, identified Kenya among Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) countries expected to receive significant rainfall, with moderate precipitation of between 50 and 200 millimetres forecast for several counties across the two regions.
Counties in the western region set to be affected include Kisii, Nyamira, Kisumu, Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga, Siaya, and Homa Bay, while those in the central region include Nyeri, Murang’a, Kiambu, Embu, Kirinyaga, and Tharaka Nithi.
“More than usual rainfall is expected over northern and south-western parts of South Sudan, parts of central to western and northern Ethiopia and isolated areas of both northern Uganda and central to western regions of Kenya,” IGAD stated.
The forecast aligns with a separate weekly outlook by the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority (KMSA), which similarly projected rainfall over the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the Rift Valley, the Coast, and parts of North-Eastern Kenya. Southern and coastal counties are also expected to receive some rainfall, though below the 50-millimetre threshold, with flooding in those areas considered unlikely.
Across the broader GHA region, South Sudan faces the heaviest forecast burden, with most of its territory expected to receive moderate to heavy rainfall throughout the period, while Ethiopia’s central, western, and northern regions are also forecast to receive moderate rainfall. The bulletin comes as the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has flagged the Greater Horn of Africa as one of the regions likely to experience El Niño conditions between October and December this year.
