Thunderstorm

January is over, and it flew by! So what's the latest on our rock?

We've had two Titan flights, taking islanders off the island and bringing them back, mainly people returning from their Christmas hols in St Helena and a few from further afield.

An A400 has been cancelled and then put back on again, arriving a week later.

The main excitement for the month came last week when the island received a possible Thunderstorm warning from the MET Office, but as the week went on, further updates indicated the possibility was decreasing and eventually it blew by without hitting us. Sandbags were deployed around critical buildings and several homes with memories of the downpour in March 2020 still fresh in many people's memories. Back then rain came non-stop for several hours, blocking the road near the junction to Catherine Point because a river of muddy water and large rocks was streaming across the road, the only way out of Georgetown was up Needles road! It wasn't just that road, all around the island there was damage and several buildings took in water.

Around half four this afternoon as I drove into Georgetown I saw the 5th runway contractor aggregate vessel leaving, heading back to get reloaded before returning. Normally another one arrives straight away but there is planned maintenance for the floating pipeline soon so the next one will arrive when the maintenance is completed.

Friday we will see the FIRS anchored in the harbour, restocking the island's shops, companies bringing in their materials and equipment and islanders receiving their overseas goodies.

The island is once again COVID free, so we’re back in the Amber Alert status.

And just like that, we're into February, have a good one :)