Met department cautions over high temperatures expected in January as weather conditions change

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 3 – The Kenya Meteorological Department has urged the public to be cautious of the health risks that might be imminent due to the high temperatures that are expected to prevail this January.

The weather body cautioned that the high temperatures might result in heat-related discomforts such as heat stress, headaches, and fatigue.

The public has been therefore urged to hydrate properly and avoid working in the open specifically during the afternoons, when the temperatures are at the peak.

“The high temperatures expected during the month of January in most parts of the country may lead to heat stress and heat-related discomforts such as headaches and fatigue. The public is therefore advised to hydrate appropriately and avoid working in the pen, especially in the afternoons,” it stated.

Due to the dry vegetation cover, the department has warned the public about conducting activities that may result in wildfires in forests and reserves, further urging the Ministry of Environment to be alert.

“The public is advised to take caution and avoid activities which are likely to lead to the occurrence of wildfires in forests, parks, and game reserves,” it stated.

“Ministry of Environment, climate change and forestry, and other stakeholders should therefore be alert while putting in place measures to conserve the environment,” it added.

Farmers in agricultural areas have also been urged to take advantage of the dry season and harvest their crops and prepare their land in readiness for the coming planting season.

The Kenya Met Department has been alarmed that sunny and dry weather conditions are expected to prevail over most parts of the country for the next three months.

The department has however underscored that areas around the Lake Victoria basin and the Southern Rift Valley, the highlands east of the Rift Valley, the southern lowlands, and the coastal region may experience a few rainy days during this period.

People living in areas that are set to receive occasional rainfall have been urged to adopt rainwater harvesting and storage practices since water availability for both humans and livestock is expected to decline in the country.