February will be a dry, sunny month, the Metrological Department has said.
In its monthly forecast on Monday, Met said Kenyans should expect generally sunny and dry conditions throughout the month.
The weatherman said occasional rainfall is likely to occur over a few places in the Lake Victoria Basin, Highlands West of the Rift Valley, Southern Rift Valley, parts of the Highlands East of the Rift Valley including Nairobi, and parts of the South-eastern lowlands.
Met urged Kenyans to watch out for dusty conditions which will likely cause an outbreak of respiratory diseases.
A report by the Dagoretti-corner based Igad Climate Prediction and Applications Centre released last week indicated that entire Kenya might have wetter than the usual conditions beginning in March.
ICPAC makes predictions for the entire Igad region, and such a multi-month forecast is always prone to weather changes.
“Wetter than usual conditions are expected over much of the region,” Igad said of their February-April prediction.
An assessment by the National Drought Management Authority showed the little rain expected this season will not be enough to reverse the nutritional problems being experienced in Northern Kenya.
“Malnutrition status remains critical in Turkana, Samburu, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, North Horr, Laisamis and East Pokot,” NDMA said in its food and nutrition security rapid assessment report which was released last week.
“It is in serious phase in West Pokot and Tana River, and the counties are projected to remain in the same phase for the next three months.”
It said the current situation is a cumulative effect of consecutive failed seasons.
“Tana River and West Pokot counties were classified in serious phase while Saku and Moyale sub counties in Marsabit county were in alert phase,” the NDMA report said.
“The nutrition situation was projected to worsen in Turkana, Samburu, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Isiolo and North Horr and Laisamis due to worsening food security situation.”
According to the Famine Early Warning System Network, a USaid-supported system that works closely with Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture, the entire Horn of Africa region is facing food stress.
Fews Net anticipates more than 20 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia will need urgent humanitarian food assistance early this year to prevent a crisis or worse outcomes.
“The sharp increase in food assistance needs, which is over 70 per cent higher than food crises in 2016 and 2017, is primarily driven by the impacts of severe drought across the eastern portion of the region and by the impacts of conflict,” Fews Net said in a statement.
It added that most areas of the Horn are experiencing water shortages and record-low vegetation conditions, reflecting both degradation of pasture for livestock and wilting or absent crop growth.
“Household purchasing power is also declining due to a sharp increase in staple food prices, declining livestock prices, and low agricultural labour demand,” the statement said.