CLIMATE

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

By the end of the topic, the learner should be able to:

1. distinguish between weather arid climate

2. explain the factors that influence climate
3. Identify the climatic regions of kenya
4. describe the characteristics of climatic regions of Kenya

Distinction between weather and climate –kcse 2023

- Weather is the state/ condition of atmosphere of a given place at a given time/ over a short
period of time while Climate is the average weather conditions of a place observed over a
long period of time/ over 30 years.

Factors influencing Climate –kcse 2019

i. Latitude
ii. Relief/Altitude/ Aspect
iii. Distance from the sea/ continentality.
iv. Configuration of the coastline/ Alignment of the coastline.
v. Ocean currents
vi. Winds/ air masses
vii. Inter tropical convergence zone (ITCZ)

a.) Ocean currents –kcse 2022

- Moist winds blowing over a cold ocean current are cooled and condensed resulting in
rainfall over the ocean and the winds proceed to the adjacent coastal land as dry winds
causing drying effect.
- Winds blowing over a warm ocean current are warmed and carry a warming effect to
the adjacent coastal lands/ raise the temperatures.
- When winds blow over a cold ocean current, they are cooled hence carrying a cooling
effect to the adjacent coastal land/ lowers the temperatures.
- Winds blowing over a warm ocean current are warmed enabling them absorb more
moisture leading to increased humidity/ increase the amount of rainfall received on
the adjacent land.

b.) Latitude –kcse 2011

- Temperature decreases with increasing latitude. Highest temperatures are generally at
the equator and the lowest at the poles.
K.C.S.E. 2011- Give reasons why the intensity of the insolation is higher at M (Equator)
than at N (poles).
 There is a higher concentration of heating at M than at N because the
surface area at M is smaller than at N.
 The angle of the sun’s rays at M is higher than at N hence the
variation in intensity.
 At N the sun’s rays travel over a long distance than at M thus losing
the heat resulting to low intensity.
c.) Altitude –kcse 2014
- Altitude is the height above sea level.
- Temperature decreases with increase in altitude. Temperature is higher at low altitude/
lower at higher altitude because the air is heated from below and not directly from the
sun.
- Atmospheric pressure decreases with increasing altitude. Atmospheric pressure is
higher at low altitude/ lower at high altitude because the weight of atmospheric air at
low altitude is more than at high altitude.

d.) Distance from the sea (continentality) –kcse 2005

- Areas closer to the sea are wetter than those far from the sea due to maritime
influence. Maritime air is a wind from the sea.
- During summer, areas far from the sea are drier because the moist onshore winds drop
most of their moisture thus bringing dry conditions in such areas. Areas near the sea
experience lower temperature because maritime air brings cool winds and also they
receive high convectional rainfall.
- During winter, the land loses heat faster than the sea therefore the sea is warmer than
the land. Warm onshore winds raises the temperature in coastal regions while places
further inland will be cooler.
- Regions on the same latitude but far from the sea will experience very low
temperatures because the winds reach there when they have been cooled by the cold
land.

e.) Configuration of the Coastline.

- This is the alignment of the coastline in relation to the prevailing winds.
 - Irregular coastlines tend to receive more rainfall because the prevailing winds blow
on-shore carrying moisture inland. This in turn lower temperatures of such areas like
Mombasa.
- Regular/ straight coastlines have less land area coming into contact with the water
because most of the onshore winds blow parallel to the coastline hence little rainfall
with higher temperatures e.g. Lamu.

f.) Air Masses.

- An air mass is a widespread body of air with uniform properties such as temperature
and moisture content and moves in one direction.
- When an air mass moves out of its region of origin /source, it affects all areas it
transverses over in terms of temperature and moisture conditions.
- The region under influence of air mass will probably experience general constant
weather conditions, a situation called air mass weather.
g.) Aspect
- This is the general alignment of the slope to the sun’s isolation.
- The slopes exposed to sun for longer hours per day tend to be warmer than those
which never receive sunshine. In the Northern hemisphere, the south facing slopes
receive more insolation and are warmer than the North facing slopes.
- In the Southern hemisphere, the south facing slopes are cooler than the North facing
slopes because they do not receive direct solar insolation.
- The windward slopes of mountains receive more rainfall than the leeward slopes
because moist winds rise and drop their moisture on this side first. The winds proceed
to the leeward side of the mountain as dry winds.

h.) Human Activities.

- Construction of dams creates large human-made lakes. Evaporation from the lakes
increase humidity and amount of rainfall received in the surrounding areas.
- Man has caused deforestation in the process of creating room for settlement and
agriculture causing drop in rainfall leading to semi-arid conditions.
- Development of urban centres affects climate. Smoke from factories and vehicles
forms smog which reduces visibility/ rises temperature. Winds also blow along the
streets. Major urban centres of the world experience specific climatic conditions
(aspects of local climate) called urban climate.
- Gases like CO2 emitted from burning of fossil fuels and chlorofluorocarbons causes
greenhouse effect raising temperature.

THE CLIMATIC REGIONS OF KENYA

 Key
1- Modified Equatorial climate of the Coast.
2- Modified Tropical climate of the Kenyan Highlands.
3- Modified equatorial climate of the Lake Victoria basin.
4- Modified equatorial climate of the North Western margin.
5- Tropical climate of the Narok and Southern Taita/Kwale areas.
6- Tropical Continental/ semi desert climate of central and northern areas.
7- Desert climate of the central northern areas
8- Mountain climate

1. Modified Equatorial climate of the Coast.

- It covers the coastal belt of Kenya extending from Vanga in the south east to Lamu in
the north coast.
- Modification of the climate is due to the presence of the Indian Ocean.

Characteristics
- There is no real dry season/ experience rainfall throughout the year.
- High temperatures throughout the year.
- Hottest months are December and January.
- High humidity throughout the year.
- Small annual range of temperatures.
- Rainfall is mainly convectional.
- Mean annual temperatures of about 27°C.7
- It has a double maxima rainfall regime i.e. two rainy seasons.

2. Modified Tropical climate of the Kenyan Highlands.

- Also called highland sub-tropical climate.
- It is found mainly in the highlands, east and west of rift valley.
- Modification is due to the relief.

Characteristics
- Receives rainfall through the year.
- It has a double maxima rainfall regime.
- Relief/orographic rainfall is common.
- High annual rainfall totals/ between 1000 – 1500 mm.
- Long rains are received between March and May and the short rains between
September and December.
- Moderate mean annual temperature/ average temperatures ranges between 17°C to
24°C.
- Experiences moderate humidity.
- Small mean annual range of temperature/ 3°C to 5° C.
- Temperatures are much cooler than a true tropical climate due to high altitude.

3. Modified Equatorial climate of Lake Victoria Basin.

- It covers the lake region of Kenya and mainly Nyanza and Western regions.
- Modification is due to varied relief and the influence of Lake Victoria.

Characteristics –kcse 2014

- Receives moderate to high rainfall.
- Rainfall ranges between 750mm and 1500mm per year, with no distinct dry month/
rains throughout the year.
- Area receives convectional type of rainfall.
- It has double rainfall maxima regime.
- Has a small diurnal temperature range.
- Has a small temperature range/ 3⁰c - 5⁰c.
- It experiences high temperature/ moderate temperature.
- The relative humidity is high/ 80%.
- It has a mean annual temperature of between 20° C and 32⁰c.
- Experiences low pressure.
- There is thick cloud cover.
- Rainfall figures are lower than those of a true equatorial climate.

4. Modified Equatorial climate of the North Western Borders.

- Found in the Karasuk areas, a continuation of the climate of Eastern and Northern
Uganda.

Characteristics
- Rainfall totals are lower than in typical equatorial climate averaging 850 mm per
year.
- Most of the months are dry.
- It receives convectional rainfall between June and September.
- Temperatures are generally high throughout the year.

5. Tropical climate of the Narok and Southern Taita/ Kwale Areas.

- It is located in areas around the Loita hills, Taita hills and Shimba hills.

Characteristics
 - Rainfall comes in March to May and October to December with maxima in April and
November.
- High temperature throughout the year/ 28° C
- Some areas like Narok receive moderate annual rainfall totals/ about 672mm.

6. Tropical continental/Semi –Desert Climate of central and Northern areas.

- It is found mainly in Eastern Kenya in areas such as Isiolo, Garissa, Tana River and in
Southern Kenya in areas such as Kitui, Machckos, Kajiado and parts of Northern
Kenya like Mandera, Moyale and parts of Turkana.

Characteristics
- Low annual rainfall and unreliable/ less than 500mm.
- Large diurnal and annual ranges of temperatures.
- The skies are generally clear.
- High temperatures/ 22°C and 27° C.
- Low mean annual temperature range/ about 5° C.
- Low humidity.
7. Desert Climate of Central Northern Area.
- Experienced in central northern Kenya where there are pure deserts like Chalbi,
Karoli and Kaisut deserts.

Characteristics
- Has low rainfall totals/ less than 250mm p.a.
- High temperatures throughout the year.
- Night temperatures are extremely low.
- Low humidity.
- Large annual temperature range.
- Large diurnal temperature range.
- Sandstorms are common.
- Occasional floods caused by scarce and sporadic rains.
- Skies are cloudless at night.
- Strong winds.
- Experiences unreliable rainfall.

8. Mountain climate.
- Covers Mt. Kenya, Elgon, Mau ranges and Nyandarua ranges.
Characteristics
- Occurs in altitude between 2000 – 5200m above sea level.
- Low temperature range/ -8⁰c to 10⁰c.
- It remains cold throughout the year.
- High mean annual rainfall/ 1300 – 2290mm.
- Temperatures decreases with an increase in altitude.
- Receives relief rainfall.

REVISION QUESTIONS

1. (a) (i) What is climate? (2mks)

(ii) Explain two effects of climate change on the physical environment

2. The table below represents rainfall and temperature figures for a town in Africa. Use it to answer
the questions that follow

Month J F M A M J J A S O N D

Temp (0C) 27 28 28 28 27 25 24 25 26 27 26 27
Rainfall (mm) 25 38 99 140 277 439 277 69 142 201 71 65

(a) Calculate the annual range of temperature for the town (2mk)

(b) Calculate the total annual rainfall for the town. (2mks)

(c) State two characteristics of the climate experienced in the town. (2mks)

The map below shows some climatic regions of Kenya. Use it to answer question (a.

(A) (I) Name the climatic regions marked x, y and z.

(II) State three characteristics of the climatic region marked z.

iii) State four ways in which the savanna grasslands have adapted to climatic conditions.