NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya has defined what qualifies as a heat wave in major urban centres, setting temperature thresholds that will trigger heat-health alerts and emergency response measures to protect vulnerable populations.
The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) said a heat wave in the Kenyan context refers to three or more consecutive days of extremely high daytime temperatures that exceed locally determined limits and are linked to increased health risks.
Under the new framework, Nairobi will be considered to be experiencing a heat wave when daily maximum temperatures reach 32°C or higher for at least three consecutive days.
In Kisumu, the threshold is 37°C, while Mombasa’s is set at 36°C over the same period.
KMD said the thresholds were developed following detailed research that combined long-term temperature records with health data from major urban centres, including hospital visits, admissions and mortality trends during periods of extreme heat.
“These thresholds reflect local climate conditions and observed links between high temperatures and adverse health outcomes,” the department said in a statement.
The new benchmarks are intended to guide the issuance of heat-health alerts and the activation of response plans by national and county authorities.
These include emergency preparedness measures aimed at protecting high-risk groups such as children, older persons, and individuals with underlying health conditions.
Health experts have warned that prolonged exposure to extreme heat increases the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and the worsening of chronic illnesses, particularly in densely populated cities with limited access to cooling infrastructure.
The move comes as Kenya experiences rising temperatures linked to climate variability and climate change, placing additional pressure on urban health systems.
KMD said the heat thresholds will support early warning systems and help authorities plan targeted interventions during periods of extreme heat, including public advisories, healthcare preparedness and community-level response measures.
The department noted that the framework aligns with broader national climate adaptation efforts and international best practices on heat-health action planning.
