CLIMATE OUTLOOK FOR APRIL 2024 AND A REVIEW OF MARCH 2024.

The Rainfall Outlook for April 2024
April is the peak month of the "Long Rains" season. The outlook indicates that near to above-average rainfall is expected across most parts of the country. Specifically, it is anticipated that the Lake Victoria Basin, Highlands West of the Rift Valley, Northern, Central, and South Rift Valley, Highlands East of the Rift Valley including Nairobi, South-Eastern Lowlands, Northwestern, Northeastern, and the Coastal region will receive increased rainfall. Additionally, it's important to note that isolated episodes of heavy rainfall may
occur in various parts of the country during the month.
March 2024 Rainfall Review
The month of March marks the onset of the March-April-May (MAM) “Long Rains” season in the country. However, most parts of the country experienced dry weather conditions for most of the month except over the Western sector of the country where rainfall continued from February, followed by a dry spell till the fourth week of March. The rainfall onset over parts of the Highlands East of the Rift Valley and Southeastern lowlands was during the fourth week of March; a few areas are yet to realize their onset. Kitui and Voi Meteorological stations had their onset during the first and second weeks of March respectively. The Northern parts, Central Rift Valley (Nakuru) and most of the Coastal region have not yet realized their onset even though a few areas experienced light to moderate rainfall during the fourth week of March. However, a few areas in Kwale and Lamu experienced onset during the third and fourth week of March. Rainfall recorded in March over several parts of the country was near to below the Long Term Mean for March, with stations in Nairobi and a few stations over the Coast (Lamu and Mtwapa) and Voi having recorded above average rainfall. Both maximum and minimum temperatures were warmer than usual over the whole country except over Kisumu and Narok where maximum temperatures were within the normal range.