{"id":139546,"date":"2026-05-01T09:02:51","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T09:02:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/relief-in-sight-as-heavy-rains-set-to-ease-by-mid-may-says-kenya-met\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T09:02:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T09:02:51","slug":"relief-in-sight-as-heavy-rains-set-to-ease-by-mid-may-says-kenya-met","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/relief-in-sight-as-heavy-rains-set-to-ease-by-mid-may-says-kenya-met\/","title":{"rendered":"Relief in sight as heavy rains set to ease by mid-May, Says Kenya Met"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 1 \u2013 Kenyans battered by weeks of relentless downpours could soon get a reprieve, with the Kenya Meteorological Department forecasting a significant reduction in rainfall from the middle of May.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In its latest monthly outlook released on Friday, the weather agency said the heavy rains currently pounding many parts of the country are expected to ease substantially in the second half of the month, signalling the gradual end of the March-April-May long-rains season.<\/p>\n

While the first week of May is likely to remain wet, with heavy rainfall continuing in several regions, conditions are expected to improve as the month progresses.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe outlook for May indicates that the second half of the month is likely to be drier than average, implying the cessation of the March-April-May 2026 rainfall season,\u201d Kenya Met said.<\/p>\n

By the final weeks of May, most parts of the country are expected to experience generally drier-than-normal conditions, marking the close of one of Kenya\u2019s most significant rainy seasons.<\/p>\n

However, the rains will not disappear uniformly across the country. Central Kenya, the Lake Victoria Basin, western Kenya and the Coastal region are likely to continue receiving rainfall into June, although the amounts are expected to be below average.<\/p>\n

The end of the long rains will pave the way for the cool and dry season, with temperatures expected to drop sharply in several areas, particularly in the Highlands.<\/p>\n

Even as the forecast offers hope of improved weather, Kenya Met has cautioned that the immediate risk remains high. Heavy rainfall in the opening days of May could still trigger flooding, waterlogging and transport disruptions in vulnerable areas.<\/p>\n

The department also warned of heightened public health risks, including outbreaks of waterborne diseases and malaria, especially in areas with poor drainage and sanitation.<\/p>\n

Farmers have also been advised to remain vigilant. Continued rainfall in Central Kenya, western regions, the Lake Victoria Basin and parts of the Rift Valley could lead to waterlogged farms and crop damage.<\/p>\n

In the Southeastern Lowlands, Kenya Met said irregular rainfall patterns\u2014characterised by near-average to below-average totals punctuated by intense storms\u2014could create uneven soil moisture conditions, placing additional stress on crops.<\/p>\n

Water infrastructure is also under strain, with rivers, dams and drainage systems in high-rainfall areas facing the risk of excess inflows.<\/p>\n

\u201cExpected heavy rainfall in the first week of May increases the likelihood of river overflows, flash floods and prolonged inundation in low-lying and downstream areas,\u201d the department warned.<\/p>\n

Heavy downpours across parts of Kenya have triggered flash floods, leaving motorists stranded, and fears of missing persons, according tothe Kenya Red Cross.<\/p>\n

Rising water levels were reported along Mombasa Road near the Eastern Bypass, where sections of the highway became flooded, disrupting traffic and raising safety concerns for motorists.<\/p>\n

The National Police Service has urged drivers to exercise caution as emergency teams monitor the situation.<\/p>\n

In Mukuru kwa Njenga, one of Nairobi\u2019s densely populated informal settlements, there are unconfirmed reports of missing persons and households cut off by floodwaters.<\/p>\n

Kenya Red Cross teams from Nairobi have been dispatched to assess the situation and coordinate potential rescue operations.<\/p>\n

Flash flooding was also reported near T-Mall along Lang\u2019ata Road, where a vehicle was trapped in a ditch with occupants inside.<\/p>\n

Emergency responders successfully evacuated all individuals, and no injuries have been reported so far.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in Kajiado County, three individuals were rescued after their lorry became trapped in floodwaters from the swollen Kandisi River along Magadi Road. The swift response prevented what could have escalated into a more serious incident.<\/p>\n

Further north, flash floods have also been reported in Moyale, Marsabit County, highlighting the widespread impact of the ongoing rains.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 1 \u2013 Kenyans battered by weeks of relentless downpours could soon get a reprieve, with the Kenya Meteorological Department forecasting a significant reduction in rainfall from the middle of May. In its latest monthly outlook released on Friday, the weather agency said the heavy rains currently pounding many parts of the country […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-139546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139546\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}