Kenya Met Warns Of Increased Respiratory Illnesses, Foggy Roads in July

The Kenya Meteorological Department has announced that July will mark the peak of the cold season.

In a statement on Tuesday, July 1, the Met Department said most parts of the country will experience cool temperatures through the month.

The weatherman noted that the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, Nairobi County, and parts of the Southeastern lowlands are expected to experience minimum temperatures below 10°C.

“The month of July marks the peak of the cold season, especially over the Highlands East of the Rift Valley and Nairobi County. The temperature forecast for July 2025 indicates that the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, Nairobi County, and parts of the Southeastern lowlands are expected to experience low temperatures, even though they are likely to be slightly higher than the July average.

“However, a few days may experience maximum temperatures below 20°C and minimum temperatures below 10°C,” the statement read in part.

In contrast, much of the northern region is expected to experience high temperatures above 30°C, with moderate conditions prevailing in parts of Marsabit and Isiolo counties.

The rest of the country is likely to experience moderate temperatures ranging between 20°C and 30°C.

“These temperatures are expected to be warmer than the July long-term mean (LTM) except over parts of Northwest (Turkana) and parts of the Highlands West of the Rift Valley (West Pokot), where temperatures are expected to be lower than normal,” the Met Department stated.

Occasional light rains are forecast over Nairobi, the Central Highlands, parts of the Rift Valley, and surrounding areas.

Near to above-normal rainfall is expected in the Lake Victoria Basin, the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, Central and Southern Rift Valley, and parts of Northwestern Kenya.

The Met Department warned of increased cases of respiratory illnesses such as asthma, pneumonia, flu, and the common cold, especially in areas like Nairobi, the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, parts of the Central and South Rift Valley, and the Highlands West of the Rift Valley.

“To avoid contracting diseases, the general public is advised to dress warmly and to follow the advice of the Ministry of Health. They are also advised not to use charcoal jikos in poorly ventilated homes because they emit carbon monoxide gas, which is life-threatening if inhaled,” the weatherman stated.

Further, the Met Department warned that fog, overcast skies, and drizzles may reduce visibility and affect transport, especially along the Kikuyu–Kinungi stretch and airport operations at the Jomo Kenyatta and Wilson Airports.

“Motorists should be careful while driving in these areas, especially along the Nairobi-Naivasha Highway and particularly on the Kikuyu-Kinungi stretch. Fog may occasionally pose a challenge to operations at the Wilson and Jomo Kenyatta International Airports,” the Met Department added.