Kenya Climate
Top 5 Cities: Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Eldoret
This month in numbers
Kenya experienced a significantly warmer April 2026, with an average temperature of 25.86°C, marking an anomaly of +1°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. This ranked as the 24th warmest April in 86 years of records. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1.1°C, just shy of the all-time record set in April 2025. The three-month period from February to April 2026 also saw Kenya's average temperature at 26.71°C, an anomaly of +1.1°C, ranking as the 13th warmest such period on record.
What changed
The recent three-month period (February–April 2026) in Kenya was notably warmer than average, continuing a trend of elevated temperatures. This regional warming aligns with the broader global picture, as global land temperatures for the same three-month period ranked as the 2nd warmest on record. Kenya's 1-month temperature anomaly of +1.02°C placed it 175th out of 234 regions globally, indicating that while warmer, it was not among the most extreme anomalies worldwide. The country has also been grappling with widespread and intense rainfall during April, marking the peak of its annual Long Rains season, which has been heavier than usual and led to significant flooding across various regions.
What’s driving change?
The warmer-than-average temperatures in Kenya are largely influenced by the broader trend of . Additionally, the current ENSO state is Neutral, but the NOAA CPC forecast indicates a strong likelihood of an El Niño developing from May-Jul 2026 onwards, with probabilities reaching 98% by August-October 2026. Historically, El Niño events typically bring wetter conditions to East Africa during the "short rains" (October-December) season, often leading to flooding. This past month, Kenya experienced severe weather and floods, particularly in Mombasa and Kwale counties, from April 21-22, displacing over 100 households and causing significant damage. Earlier in April, heavy rains across the country had already led to at least 112 deaths by April 3, with authorities urging caution during the ongoing Easter holiday period due to heightened risks. The Kenya Meteorological Department had issued advisories for heavy rainfall and strong winds expected to affect several regions between April 24 and May 1, 2026, with intense downpours anticipated between April 26 and April 28. These heavy rains have also exacerbated a pre-existing drought crisis in many arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) counties, with some areas still in "Alarm" or "Alert" drought phases despite the recent rainfall.
Looking ahead
With a strong El Niño forecast to develop in the coming months, Kenya can anticipate a higher likelihood of wetter conditions, particularly during the short rains season later in the year, which could bring further flood risks.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Kenya
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) — see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Kenya changing?
Kenya is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Kenya come from?
Climate data for Kenya comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Kenya climate data cover?
The Kenya climate profile covers Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Kenya
How often is the Kenya climate update refreshed?
The Kenya climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.