KMD: rain in eight western and Rift counties, most of Kenya stays dry to 20 August
Key points
- KMD seven-day outlook for 13–20 August 2026: most of Kenya generally dry.
- Rain likelier in Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Kericho, Nyandarua and Nyeri.
- Intermittent cool, cloudy spells: Nairobi, Embu, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, Meru, Murang’a, plus Tharaka-Nithi, Machakos, Kajiado, Taita-Taveta, Marsabit and Wajir.
- Later signal: heavier rain from September in places; North Eastern and parts of the Coast may run up to 20mm above the long-term average; OND still flagged for El Niño.
The next seven days on the official map are mostly beige. Kenya Meteorological Department’s outlook for 13 to 20 August 2026 says most of the country stays dry, with rain stacked on a western and Rift list, Eastleigh Voice reported.
That list: Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Kericho, Nyandarua and Nyeri. “Most parts of the country are expected to be generally dry.” Nairobi sits in the cool-and-cloudy band with Embu, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, Meru and Murang’a. KMD also named Tharaka-Nithi, Nakuru (again), Machakos, Kajiado, Taita-Taveta, Marsabit and Wajir for intermittent cloud, not a week-long grey lid. Director-general David Gikungu is the face on the department handout attached to the same report. Looking past this week, the piece says experts still talk of heavier, more persistent rain from September, and that North Eastern and parts of the Coast could see up to 20 millimetres above the long-term average. KMD has previously said much of the country can stay relatively dry into the coming months, then pick up from October, with above-average rain in October–November under a watched El Niño. A seven-day bulletin is not a flood siren. County disaster desks should treat 13–20 August as a dry default except on that eight-county rain list, and keep the October file separate.
A 20mm footnote is not this week’s forecast
The 20 millimetres is a later-season hint for Coast and North Eastern, not a promise for Nairobi this weekend. Read the dates on the PDF.
Environment desk: Environment. Verified 13–20 August window, eight rain counties and 20mm aside from Eastleigh Voice / KMD.
KMD should keep the seven-day PDF on meteo.go.ke. County NDMA desks in the eight rain counties should say if any ward is already waterlogged.
Farmers west of the Rift should use the 13–20 window for field work; dry-county readers should not delay water-trucking plans on this bulletin.
Readers should cross-check any deadline, fee, court date or programme claim against primary gazettes, agency circulars and court records before acting on this report.
Official gazettes, court rulings and agency circulars may update these facts after publication; readers should verify any deadline, fee or court date against primary sources before acting.
Based on Eastleigh Voice reporting of KMD’s 13–20 August outlook. Daily updates can revise a seven-day map.
