The Kenya Meteorological Department says that June to August is normally the cold season in Kenya.
However, Assistant Director of Meteorological Services, Dr. Richard Mwita, explains that recent temperatures have been unusually low due to a cold air mass moving into the country from the southern part of the continent, which is currently experiencing winter.
Speaking at the ongoing 71st Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF71), Dr. Richard Mwita noted that the rains currently being experienced have compounded the already existing cold temperatures.
“The rains, actually, compound the already existing cold temperatures. For example, on Saturday, it was extremely cold because of the rains that lasted the whole day and night,” he said, while explaining that it was occasioned by the Madden-Julian Oscillation, a weather system associated with increased moisture that often leads to rainfall.
“The reason for the rainfall is because we have other drivers, like the Madden-Julianne Oscillation (MJO) which moves from east to west, from west to east and this time it was strong resulting in the rainfall,” said Mwita adding, “We also had a push from the Atlantic Ocean of convective clouds that have resulted into heavy rainfall in parts of the Western part of Kenya, parts of the central region, and even parts of the Rift valley region.”
Ordinarily, August normally marks the gradual end of the cold season, especially over Central Kenya, including Nairobi County and parts of the Southeastern lowlands bordering Nairobi and Central Kenya. These areas normally experience intermittent cool and cloudy conditions which may be accompanied by occasional light rain,s particularly in the morning.
The weatherman adds that the western sector of the country, including the Rift Valley and Lake Victoria Basin, normally experiences rainfall during the month that sometimes spreads over to the Central parts of the country and especially in Nyandarua County.
For the Coastal region and the Northwestern parts, they remain generally dry during the month with occasional rainfall over the Coast, especially in the morning and occasional rainfall over the Northwest especially areas bordering Uganda and Southern Sudan.
The rest of the country including Northeast and the Southeastern lowlands is normally dry with occasional cloudiness over the high ground areas of Marsabit and Taita Taveta counties.
Latest weather forecast
Although the conditions have since eased, a seven-day forecast covering 26th Aug to 1st Sept 2025 indicates rainfall is expected to continue in the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin and the Rift Valley.
Intermittent cold and cloudy conditions are likely to occur over some parts of the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the South-eastern lowlands and the Rift Valley.
