• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that El Nino rains will continue until April 2024
• The statement contradicts the President that the country will not experience El Nino as earlier advised
• The organisation advised citizens of various countries across the world to prepare themselves adequately for the torrents
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that El Nino rains will continue until April 2024 contradicting the position taken by President William Ruto that the country is unlikely to experience heavy rains following an advisory opinion from the Kenya Meteorological Department.
Houses flooded by rain water
Photo:Google
While issuing the alert, the Geneva-headquartered organisation advised citizens of various countries across the world to prepare themselves adequately for the torrents even as various parts of Kenya continue to experience floods.
“Extreme events such as heatwaves, drought, wildfires, heavy rain, and floods will be enhanced in some regions, with major impacts. That is why WMO is committed to the Early Warnings For All initiative to save lives and minimize economic losses,” read part of the alert.
According to WMO’s alert, the El Nino rains will contribute to a further spike in temperatures both on land and in the ocean.
President William Ruto speaking in Mombasa County on November 3, 2023.
In its alert, WMO revealed that El Nino rains which developed rapidly in July and August will peak in November through to January 2024.
WMO clarified that El Nino rains averagely last for nine to 12 months.
The global body further explained that El Nino rains are associated with warm sea surface temperatures that impact global temperatures.
Notably, the warmest year before 2023 was 2016. WMO predicts that 2024 will be even warmer.
“A strong El Niño does not necessarily mean strong El Niño impacts locally. It is important to note that El Niño is not the only factor that drives global and regional climate patterns and that the magnitudes of El Niño indicators do not directly correspond to the magnitudes of their effects. No two El Niño events are alike,” WMO stated.
WMO’s statement comes after President William Ruto assured Kenyans that the country will not experience El Nino and will instead only record heavy rains.
“We have now heard the meteorologists saying that will no longer be the case. We will just have heavy rains. We thank God.”
Meanwhile, the Kenya Meteorological Department has urged Kenyans to be cautious as heavy rains persist across the country.
The department on Wednesday warned that some parts of the country are likely to experience heavy rains 24 hours non-stop.
Earlier meteorologists had predicted that the country would experience El Nino rains until December.
