NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 23 – The cold temperature spells experienced since the end June will ease by the end of the month, according to the Kenya Meteorological Department.
According to the Assistant Director Ayub Shaka August was colder than July because of the slow rate of temperature change caused by heavy cloudy conditions.
“August has come out as a very cold month because we had prolonged cloudy conditions for almost the whole day that made the temperatures not to rise very fast; we experienced temperatures mostly in the afternoons. As we go towards September conditions should get a bit warmer,” he said.
According to the historical data at the meteorological department, although the cold season starts in June and ends in August-with July being the coldest month- this year’s August has been the coldest month of the season.
Mr Shaka also told Capital News that the rains that have pounded parts of the country and even caused flash floods in Turkana and Kisumu will subside as Septembers nears.
He said: “Even in those areas where we have three rain spells in a year like Western, Central Rift Valley and in the highlands of Kenya we should start seeing a reduction in the volume of rainfall. By September the whole country will be experiencing sunny and dry conditions although pockets of western Kenya wills still receive a bit of rainfall.”
Mr Shaka attributed the flash floods that were experienced in Turkana to swelling of rivers that feed Lake Turkana after heavy rains that had poured in the areas around Nandi hills, the Cherengani hills and Marakwet but not as a result of rains in the drought hit area.
Nine people were killed last Monday after their Public Service Vehicle was swept away by floods in Turkana West district.
Those killed were traveling in a matatu from Lokichogio to Kakuma, when the vehicle was swept away by floods at Nawoton area at about 5am.
Similar floods were reported in Muhoroni district where at least 3,000 families were reported to have been displaced and crops destroyed.
On Friday last week Kenya Meteorological Department recorded 153mm from the rainfall which pounded Kisumu for more than eight hours, a record last seen in the 1960’s.
The Meteorological Department is set to release in a fortnight, a forecast of the rain season expected to begin in October and its implications.
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