Nyeri is among several counties expected to experience severe cold weather in the coming weeks. A report by the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) has also placed the county among those expected to continue receiving frequent morning showers during this month of July.
Temperatures in Nyeri are projected to dip to lows of 10 degrees centigrade with night temperatures oscillating between 10 and 9 degrees centigrade.
According to the weatherman, rainfall is expected to continue over a few areas in the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the Central Rift Valley and North-western Kenya in addition intermittent cold and cloudy conditions over some parts the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the South-eastern lowlands and the Rift Valley.
“Average night-time (minimum) temperatures will be low (less than 10°C) over some parts of the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, the South-eastern lowlands and the Rift Valley,” reads the KMD forecast for the period between July 16 to July 24 2024.
County Director of Meteorological Services John Muiruri is now advising Nyeri residents to don warm clothing during this season to avert catching respiratory infections associated with extreme cold weather. He says there is nothing new about the change in weather and what is being experienced is a normal weather phenomenon that runs from July to August after the end of the March-April-May rains.
Muiruri has however cited the ongoing morning light showers as a blessing in disguise as they would facilitate the maturing of the maize crop in the farms.
“We are right into what we call the cold season. One of the characteristics of this cold phenomenon is that it kicks off gradually, then picks off as we move on before dying down in late August. Consequently, residents should prepare adequately for this season to ensure they don’t suffer from any adverse health complications that may result from the extremely low temperatures,” he has said.
He has also warned farmers against rushing to prepare their lands for planting and says the light showers being experienced in parts of the county would be short-lived. He has however said farmers could still plant fast maturing crops that do not require prolonged rains as the country awaits the onset of the short rains later in October.
“Around this time, we expect a cold season in July which will spill over into August. This cold season is sometimes associated with drizzles that can be very heavy producing significant rains. These rains are not going to extend for long but short maturing plants can be considered,” he told KNA.
In August last year, Nyeri experienced perhaps one of the coldest seasons in years with temperatures dipping to as low as 14 degrees Celsius in some places.
The accompanying light rains that fell in many parts of the county made things worse with residents resorting to adorning themselves in warm attire to avoid falling victims to respiratory ailments such as pneumonia and bronchitis. But Muiruri attributed the cold season (traditionally experienced during the months of June and July) to winter conditions being experienced in the Southern hemisphere.