The Horn of Africa is bracing for an intensified drought as new forecasts predict continued below-normal rainfall through January 2026, threatening millions across southeastern Ethiopia, eastern Kenya, and southern Somalia.

• The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) issued a Climate Watch Advisory warning of deepening soil moisture shortages and vegetation stress.
• The worsening situation is attributed to the ongoing La Niña phenomenon and the negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), mirroring drought patterns from 2010 and 2022.
• The ICPAC urged governments and humanitarian organizations to intensify preparedness for potential agricultural stress, deteriorating livestock conditions, and heightened health risks.