The session will focus on El Niño: what it is and what it does. The Indian Ocean Dipole: what it is and how it interacts with El Niño and the October to December rainfall season.

Jemimah Gacheru is a Principal Meteorologist at the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority (KMSA) with over 14 years of experience in weather and climate forecasting, spanning timescales from hours to seasons. Her work focuses on translating complex weather and climate information into practical insights that support decision-making, risk reduction, and resilience building. Throughout her career, she has contributed to operational forecasting services, the training and mentorship of forecasters, and the improvement of forecast products to better meet user needs, with a particular interest in Action-Based Forecasting and impact-based climate services.

She has contributed to regional and international initiatives, including African SWIFT, WISER, DARAJA, DRESS-EA, ARBO-WATCH, and WISER ActionFirst, collaborating with meteorological services, researchers, humanitarian organizations, government agencies, and communities to improve the use of weather and climate information across Africa. Her interests include climate services, early warning systems, disaster risk reduction, seasonal forecasting, climate risk communication, and the co-production of actionable climate information.