Expect heavy rainfall in Kitui County from Thursday, Met says

Further, in its March weather forecast,  the Met Department estimates that most places in Kitui are likely to receive near average to above average rainfall.  In the just concluded first half of this month of March,  the weatherman observed that rainfall was enhanced over much of the county. 

However,  the second half of the month is predicted to cause a dry spell affecting maturity of the food crops already planted and being tended. "Dry spells are expected to occur during the second half of the month when the Madden-Julian Oscillation [MJO] is predicted to be in unfavourable phases", said  Kitui County Director of Meteorological Services Dr Daniel Mbithi. 

This latest weather forecast comes against the backdrop of a week-long dry spell that engulfed the county. Farmers are getting worried whether the germinating crops would survive for long if the rains take longer to return. 

Additionally, Mbithi's projection indicates that the rains will be less than 20mm.

The March-April-May rainfall season will peak in April  where it  is expected to be marked by isolated heavy rainfall events in some parts of Kitui county.   The rainfall season will end in May.