Met: Downpours to hit hardest as flood danger grows

The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that heavy rainfall will continue across several parts of the country, with a fresh 24-hour forecast pointing to widespread downpours between March 20 and March 21, 2026.

In its latest update issued on March 20, the department said moderate to heavy rainfall is expected over the Lake Victoria Basin, the Rift Valley and Highlands West, the Central region including Nairobi, parts of southeastern Kenya and coastal areas, where rainfall could be locally intense.

The agency cautioned that the weather conditions could trigger flooding, flash floods, slippery roads and poor visibility. It urged the public to remain vigilant, warning of rising river levels in affected regions.

“Flooding & flash floods” and “slippery roads & poor visibility” are among the key risks highlighted in the latest advisory.

The department also warned residents to “avoid flooded roads” and “do not walk or drive through moving water,” particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.

The latest forecast builds on an earlier advisory issued on March 18, which indicated that rainfall across the country would intensify, exceeding 20mm within 24 hours between March 19 and March 24.

According to the department, the rains are expected to peak between March 20 and March 23 before easing slightly on March 24.

“The rainfall being experienced over several parts of the country is expected to intensify,” the department said in the earlier advisory, adding that even as the intensity reduces towards the end of the period, rainfall will persist in many regions.

Areas expected to be affected include the Lake Victoria Basin, the Highlands, both west and east of the Rift Valley, the Rift Valley and Nairobi, as well as counties such as Turkana, Samburu, Migori, Kisumu, Nakuru, Kiambu, Meru and Mombasa, among others.

Residents in these areas have been urged to take precautionary measures as the risk of disasters remains high. “Residents in all the mentioned areas are advised to be on the lookout for potential floods, flash floods and poor visibility,” the advisory stated.

The department further warned that “flood waters may appear in places where it has not rained heavily, especially downstream,” highlighting the unpredictability of the situation.

In addition to flood risks, the advisory flagged potential dangers linked to lightning and landslides. Members of the public were cautioned “not to shelter under trees and near grilled windows to minimise exposure to lightning strikes,” while those living in landslide-prone areas, especially along the slopes of the Aberdare ranges and Mt. Kenya, were urged to remain vigilant.

The rainfall has been classified as moderate to heavy, with a “moderate probability of occurrence (33% to 66% chance),” and the alert remains in effect until March 24 at 9 am.

The warning comes amid ongoing flood-related emergencies, with authorities confirming that the national death toll has risen to 71. The National Police Service is currently leading search and rescue operations across affected regions as the country braces for continued heavy rains.