Met: El Niño is not coming, it’s already here with us
The Kenya Meteorological Service Authority has confirmed that El Niño is currently affecting Kenya, causing unusual temperature patterns and depressed rainfall in specific regions. Experts emphasize that the phenomenon is a global climate driver rather than a simple indicator of impending floods.
Why it matters
Accurate public understanding of climate phenomena is essential for agricultural planning and disaster preparedness in climate-vulnerable regions.
Kenya Meteorological Service Authority (KMSA) head of Public Weather Services Section Hannah Kimani speaking during the 5th edition of the Annual Journalists Climate Training (AJCT 5) by Power Shift Africa in August 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda / HANDOUT
El Niño is already here and has contributed to the prolonged dry spells and unusual temperature patterns experienced in parts of Kenya, the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority (KMSA) has said.
Climate scientist and head of the Public Weather Services Section at KMSA Hannah Kimani said the phenomenon should not be mistaken for rainfall or viewed solely as a precursor to floods.
She said El Niño is a climate phenomenon that occurs when sea surface temperatures in parts of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean become warmer than usual, altering global circulation patterns and, consequently, rainfall and temperature patterns worldwide.
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