The water levels in the Tilshead borehole have fallen steadily throughout the week, initially at about 8cm per day and latterly at 6cm. That said, there is some evidence today that we may be close to the equilibrium state for the aquifer; the next day or two will make it obvious if this is the case or not. It’s also worth noting that the Environment Agency Flood Alert is still in force, although it has not been updated since Monday 3rd February.
All the weather news at the moment is in relation to Storm Ciara, which is a few hours away from reaching its peak (expected at around midday) here in Winterbourne Stoke. Hopefully, there will not be too much damage to properties around the village. The movement of some of the larger trees on Church Street, down towards the Church, is really quite terrifying to watch; it must be very concerning for those who live immediately adjacent to them. As of 10:00, the maximum wind speed is 41.8mph and the maximum wind gust is 52.3mph. Take a look at Janet Abbot’s weather site if you want to keep an eye on things for yourself.
Rain is forecast for the rest of the weekend and continuing for much of the rest of next week. Some forecasts suggest a fine weekend, others suggest the rain may continue for a further week before things settle down again for the end of the month.