The Ministry of Environment has issued a heavy rainfall advisory warning residents in multiple parts of the country to prepare for intensified weather conditions expected over the coming days.
In a notice on Tuesday, April 21, the ministry said the advisory will be in effect from Wednesday, April 22 at 3am through Monday, April 27 at 9am.
According to the ministry, rainfall accumulations are likely to exceed 20mm within 24 hours in the Coastal region, as well as parts of the Northeastern and Southeastern lowlands.
The weather conditions may also be accompanied by gusty winds exceeding 25 knots (12.5 m/s), while sea waves along the Coast are expected to rise above 2 metres.
The advisory affects the counties of Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Garissa, as well as parts of Wajir, Mandera, Taita-Taveta, Kitui and Makueni.
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The ministry cautioned residents in the affected areas to remain alert due to the risks associated with the expected weather patterns.
"People in all the mentioned areas should remain vigilant for potential floods, flash floods, and poor visibility. Note that flood waters may occur in areas where it has not rained heavily, particularly downstream," the notice read.
The government further urged the public to take precautionary measures to avoid accidents and injuries during the period of heavy rainfall and strong winds.
"To ensure safety residents are advised to avoid driving through or walking in moving water or open fields, not to shelter under trees or near grilled windows to minimize exposure to lightning strikes and to take precautions while engaging in maritime activities," the notice added.
Earlier Tuesday, the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) predicted heavy rainfall in six regions this week.
In a weather forecast on Tuesday, April 21, the met department said rainfall is expected in the Highlands East of Rift Valley, Highlands West of the Rift Valley, South Rift Valley, and Southeastern Lowlands.
The Coast and Northeastern parts of Kenya are also expected to experience showers during the week.
"Rainfall is expected to continue in some parts of: Highlands East & West of the Rift Valley, South Rift Valley, Southeastern Lowlands, Coast, and Northeastern parts of Kenya. Isolated heavy rainfall events are likely to occur in some parts of these regions," read the forecast in part.
According to the weatherman, the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, and the Rift Valley regions will experience morning rains in a few places.
Afternoon and night showers and thunderstorms are expected over a few places occasionally spreading to several places.
In the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, which includes Nairobi County, Mornings are likely to be cloudy, with occasional rains over a few places, giving way to sunny intervals. Meanwhile, the afternoons and nights are expected to be rainy throughout the week.
On the other hand, the Coast region will experience morning, afternoon, and night showers over several areas.
At the same time, KMD predicted that the Coast, the Southeastern lowlands, Northeastern, and Northwestern Kenya will experience maximum daytime temperatures of more than 30°C.
The Highlands East of the Rift Valley, the Central Rift Valley, and in the vicinity of Mt. Kilimanjaro will experience average minimum temperatures of less than 10°C.
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