Nakuru — The Kenya Meteorological Service has warned of heavy rains and a bumper from the Western Region during the forthcoming short rainy season.
Kenya Meteorological Department Director, David Gikungu said the western sector of the country were expected to receive near to slightly above average rainfall.
He added that the central parts of the country and isolated areas over northeast and southeastern lowlands were likely to receive normal to below average rainfall.
Releasing the forecast in Nakuru after a three meeting organised by the Red Cross Society of Kenya Gikungu said the Coastal region, most of the Northeast and most of the Southeastern lowlands were expected to receive below average rainfall.
The meeting brought together senior officials from related departments such as the Ministry of Agriculture among others.
"The forthcoming period will be driven by weak La Niña conditions, characterized by cooler-than- average Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) over the Central and Eastern and Equatorial Pacific Ocean, which are likely to develop during the September to November period and persist into early 2025," he added.
Gikungu said the forecast report was being disseminated through the media to prepare farmers and the general public because the weather was not conforming to the historical climatological patterns.
"However, there might be storms in some pockets of the regions with suppressed rainfall which normally happens, this should not be an opportunity for the public to cast aspersions at the weatherman," he said.
Gikungu added that the report would always be updated with short-term forecasts for accuracy.
A senior official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Jane Njeri said the enhanced rainfall in Western Kenya areas of Kisumu, Kisii, Kakamega, Bungoma and their environs would result to a bumper harvest.
"They should prepare well for the bumper harvest because with this kind of weather, their bumper yield risks massive post-harvest losses," she said.
To the people in Eastern and Coast regions, Njeri advised them to stock up their food and fodder reserves because the depressed rainfall might result to a hunger spell.
She added that this was also a business opportunity for the regions to trade with each other and supplement theirs shortages.
