Not interested in the whys or wherefores or the does-it, doesn't-it debate about global/climate/warming/change etc., but general observation suggests is that in recent years we do seem to have pretty much an endless spate of vigorous/violent rainfall, to the extent that it's kinda routine nowadays and presumably is here to stay, or at least will be the state of play for the foreseeable future.

With this in mind I wonder whether active caves which in bygone decades were considered good venues might now be potentially reclassified as "blimey, gov', I wouldn't go near it with a pooh-stick" in times of unsettled weather.

Just an idle thought as I look at the rainfall radar again today, thinking "Blimey, gov', I wouldn't go near Thrupe Lane Swallet with a pooh-stick today".

not sure that we in the south east could agree whole heartedly with this, for the last 2 years we have been in drought conditions, even talk of possible stand pipes if we got no rain and water supplies at or below 40%.
that is until May 2012, where we like the rest of the UK have an endless supply falling out he sky.
But the very wet weather does put another thought process as you say into which caves to go or not,
not having yet seen the recent film of the new or is it very hard to gain access to of a cave in the burrington combe area, but it has been whispered rightly or wrongly it contains cave diving,  
maybe it soon will,

I did read your opening sentence - but as your question is based on an assumption which I think may be wrong, I felt it was worth a short comment.

We have always had wet years and dry years. I don't think there's anything particularly out of the ordinary with this year's weather when taken in the wider context of the last few decades. (This is only based on my own experience of northern England and I understand that things may well be different in your neck of the woods!)

Having said that, your question is a very good one and one which perhaps we should ask ourselves regularly, as things do change underground whether or not it's weather related.

If it has rained for several days then I know that it's going to be wet and probably full as it's going to get, however one thing I have been more conscious of and I find it a ' grey area' is flood pulses. I believe we seem to be getting more cloud burst dropping a lot of rain very quickly, these are harder to predict hence why I worry about them.
Just my opinion

badger said:

not sure that we in the south east could agree whole heartedly with this, for the last 2 years we have been in drought conditions, even talk of possible stand pipes if we got no rain and water supplies at or below 40%.
that is until May 2012, where we like the rest of the UK have an endless supply falling out he sky.
But the very wet weather does put another thought process as you say into which caves to go or not,
not having yet seen the recent film of the new or is it very hard to gain access to of a cave in the burrington combe area, but it has been whispered rightly or wrongly it contains cave diving,  
maybe it soon will,

Click to expand...

Mister Badger are you meaning Pierre's Pothole
or is there another, newer subterranean diving site in Burrington Combe?