Winter Storm

[topgun2]

On 1/22/2026 at 11:07 AM, rideandfly said:

I'm thinking about installing a temporary 4'X4' tarp about 2' or 3' above the unit during the storm to keep excessive amounts of ice out of the unit. Since we've lived here winter storms have not been as bad as local news stations are forecasting this storm to be. 

HERE is a YouTube video on this exact subject that I stumbled across.  I'm not too sure as to how stable this guys "roof" will be but it packs down nicely.

Good luck!

Bill

[John Dorrer]

On 1/22/2026 at 8:21 AM, Patriot said:

Just checked our forecast here and it appears freezing rain and a chance of a wintery mix forecasted with no significant snow fall accumulation. Certainly all subject to change.  3 years ago when we had our 24KW Generac installed, I still remember a few neighbors thinking it was sorta crazy to spend money on something we hope we never have to use. 🤔 The power does not go out that often which is true however, when it does it sure is nice to have a backup/contingency plan. The freezing temps are predicted to be diving down into the lower teens for the next week or so at night here in Western NC.

Suffice to say, during extended power outages with no heat it does not take long for a home to cool down and pipes to freeze. Eventually food in freezers with no ⚡️will expire. For times such as these we are really glad we got our LNG fueled Generac installed. 

Stay Prepped, Stay Safe and Stay Warm!

 

Your all set with the generator😊

[Patriot]

48 minutes ago, John Dorrer said:

Your all set with the generator😊

Thanks John. It’s one of those things we hope we never have to use. Our power does not go out very often here unless feeder lines on the main roads fold over from the weight of trees during an ice storm.  Weighing all the repair costs (to replace frigs, freezers, sheet rock, and all our plumbing) after several nights of freezing temperatures, the one time cost of the generator install seems it will far outweigh frozen pipes and all the home repairs that go with it.

[topgun2]

As of this morning at 9am the area around Brevard, NC has been basically spared from what the forecasts were calling for.  We received only about 1/4 inch of ice (so far) but there is still freezing rain falling.  Even though the lights have "flickered" a time or two, we still have power.  It is forecast to continue with the freezing rain until around noon and then turn to regular rain until about 6pm.  I've not seen how the rest of the State of North Carolina is doing and can only hope that areas west and north are doing OK with this storm.

Bill

[rideandfly]

13 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

As of this morning at 9am the area around Brevard, NC has been basically spared from what the forecasts were calling for.  We received only about 1/4 inch of ice (so far) but there is still freezing rain falling.  Even though the lights have "flickered" a time or two, we still have power.  It is forecast to continue with the freezing rain until around noon and then turn to regular rain until about 6pm.  I've not seen how the rest of the State of North Carolina is doing and can only hope that areas west and north are doing OK with this storm.

Bill

Around Lincolnton NC it's about 20F with temps forecast to increase to about 30F before temps drop again this evening. Freezing rain forecast through today until this evening. I'm seeing what looks like sleet right now. So far power is OK here with reported outages around the area. Temps forecast to drop to high single digit Tuesday AM, that's very cold for this area around Charlotte NC. So far Spectrum internet is working, too. 

[Chris Scarff]

@Patriot If you need anything, let me know. I'm several hours away in Augusta, GA, but I'm not iced in or anything and will always skip out on work to help.

 

Cheers,

Chris

[Mike and Carol]

We’re at 19 degrees this morning just north of San Antonio.  A sheet of ice over everything.  Most church services canceled this morning, local schools closed tomorrow.  We should get up to high 20s today then back into the teens overnight.  No power issues, nice fire in the fireplace, hot cup of coffee. It’s a nice way to be hunkered down!  Mike

[Patriot]

3 hours ago, Chris Scarff said:

@Patriot If you need anything, let me know. I'm several hours away in Augusta, GA, but I'm not iced in or anything and will always skip out on work to help.

 

Cheers,

Chris

Thank you, very kind of you to offer Chris. We are in really great shape here. Our roads are really iced over and we are well prepped. 

My bride made a huge pot of black-bean soup with lots of Kentucky Legend smoked ham and a super loaf of homemade double cheese bread. 

We are set, let the weather roll in!! 😎

 

Immersion blender in the soup for the finish!

Edited Sunday at 06:41 PM by Patriot

[mossemi]

@Patriot

Now that's what I call 'storm prep'!

Mossey

[rideandfly]

2 hours ago, Patriot said:

Thank you, very kind of you to offer Chris. We are in really great shape here. Our roads are really iced over and we are well prepped. 

My bride made a huge pot of black-bean soup with lots of Kentucky Legend smoked ham and a super loaf of homemade double cheese bread. 

We are set, let the weather roll in!! 😎

 

Immersion blender in the soup for the finish!

Looking Goood!!!!!

We have icy roads, thankful the weather was not as bad as the forecast so far, so we're hoping to see the Patriots win this afternoon!!!! 

Edited Sunday at 08:30 PM by rideandfly

[Nancy_D]

I have a question regarding the very cold weather that this storm has brought. If I were to drive south

while the temperatures are still below freezing, will it be possible for my Norcold refrigerator to function?

I would assume that it's foolish to put anything in the refrigerator.  It seems that frozen items will be fine

in the freezer compartment. 

I would be curious to hear any thoughts or advice folks have about what conditions will be required for

the Norcold to be able to function effectively for fresh food under refrigeration.   

Thanks,

Nancy

 

[Ronbrink]

8 hours ago, Nancy_D said:

I have a question regarding the very cold weather that this storm has brought. If I were to drive south

while the temperatures are still below freezing, will it be possible for my Norcold refrigerator to function?

I would assume that it's foolish to put anything in the refrigerator.  It seems that frozen items will be fine

in the freezer compartment. 

I would be curious to hear any thoughts or advice folks have about what conditions will be required for

the Norcold to be able to function effectively for fresh food under refrigeration.   

Thanks,

Nancy

 

I will preface the following by stating I have no real experience operating the Norcold in the conditions you question: It really depends on how extreme the cold is. In freezing temps the Norcold may lack efficiency or fail to operate. I would think running on gas would help provide some heat to the cooling unit, but may not be enough. Many do not like to operate the fridge on gas when underway. Hopefully someone will chime in with more definitive and pertinent information. Stay warm!

[Patriot]

10 hours ago, Nancy_D said:

I have a question regarding the very cold weather that this storm has brought. If I were to drive south

while the temperatures are still below freezing, will it be possible for my Norcold refrigerator to function?

I would assume that it's foolish to put anything in the refrigerator.  It seems that frozen items will be fine

in the freezer compartment. 

I would be curious to hear any thoughts or advice folks have about what conditions will be required for

the Norcold to be able to function effectively for fresh food under refrigeration.   

Thanks,

Nancy

 

I have no experience traveling with our Norcold in below freezing temperatures. Our Oliver has never seen winter or salted roads and never will as long as we own it for so many reasons. Mainly safety, we don’t pull XPLOR in the winter and we avoid the corrosive salt used on the roads. 

Here is a quick open source AI answer that may help with your question on the Norcold three way fridge. 

Hope this helps! 
 

Travel Safe! 

 

Norcold 3-way RV refrigerators 

generally struggle to operate properly in extreme cold (below 

32∘F

32∘F

 or 

0∘C

0∘C

), often failing to maintain safe temperatures because the absorption cooling system requires a specific heat balance to function. While they may not break, their performance will likely degrade, leading to warmer internal temperatures as the outside ambient temperature drops, often requiring intervention to work properly in freezing weather. 

Key Considerations and Tips for Cold Weather Operation: 

• Performance Drop: Below 
  25∘F

  25∘F
  , cooling performance declines significantly, as the mechanism that circulates the ammonia mixture is less efficient.
• Propane Advantage: Using LP gas (propane) mode is often recommended over electric, as the heat generated by the flame helps keep the boiler/cooling unit operating better in cold temperatures.
• Ventilation Management: In extreme cold, it is often helpful to block off roughly 75% of the outside refrigerator vents to trap heat, though manufacturers often advise against this for safety reasons.
• Cold Weather Kit: Some models, such as the Norcold NA7LX, come with or are compatible with a "cold weather kit" (a heating element for the boiler) that allows operation down to 
  0∘F

  0∘F
  .
• Preventive Measures: Ensure the fridge is not in direct wind, and keep the interior, especially the freezer, relatively full to help maintain temperatures. 

[Patriot]

Please to report we had very little snow and mostly sleet and freezing rain. Grateful this is all we had. Our “Ollie Hangar” did exactly what it’s designed to do.

Today we woke up to a gorgeous sunrise and Carolina blue sky off our back deck. Can’t ask for more than that!

Our Carolina Sapphires will bounce back, after taking a bow in today’s bright sun shine. 👍🏻

 

 

XPLOR in deep hibernation in the “Ollie Hangar”. 

Edited Monday at 03:15 PM by Patriot

[jd1923]

14 hours ago, Nancy_D said:

If I were to drive south while the temperatures are still below freezing, will it be possible for my Norcold refrigerator to function?

I would assume that it's foolish to put anything in the refrigerator.  It seems that frozen items will be fine in the freezer compartment. 

Given your driving South, I wouldn't worry (then I'm not the worrying type)! 😎

Say it's in the single digits when leaving the North... Not foolish to fill the fridge, except for things like dairy or lettuce, for example, that would be wrecked when frozen. Leave the fridge OFF when it's below freezing, as it will not function and cooling is unnecessary (it's already cold)!

Later when you get south and start to camp, you'll have the LP and furnace ON. When the Oliver is warm enough to live in, it's warm enough to operate your refrigerator.

Edited Monday at 05:25 PM by jd1923

[John Dorrer]

We had 11" of snow. Our street has yet to be plowed. Schools cancelled. Red Level Warning still in affect. Emergency responders, and plows only.

 

Then I have a neighbor who decided not to obey the law. Went out, couldn't get up his driveway. He then backed down the street to get a running, backed up on to the grass and through our mailbox, destroying the pole and damaging the mailbox. 

 

Caught on our other neighbors and our security camera. He did come over when I was inspecting damage. He said he would pay, so we will see when the price is $500+

 Have to use a certain company to comply with homeowners assoc. for post style and mailbox color requirements.

 

[Patriot]

17 minutes ago, John Dorrer said:

We had 11" of snow. Our street has yet to be plowed. Schools cancelled. Red Level Warning still in affect. Emergency responders, and plows only.

 

Then I have a neighbor who decided not to obey the law. Went out, couldn't get up his driveway. He then backed down the street to get a running, backed up on to the grass and through our mailbox, destroying the pole and damaging the mailbox. 

 

Caught on our other neighbors and our security camera. He did come over when I was inspecting damage. He said he would pay, so we will see when the price is $500+

 Have to use a certain company to comply with homeowners assoc. for post style and mailbox color requirements.

 

 

John,

‘That’s a fair amount of snow. So sorry to see your mail box was damaged. I would hope that your neighbor would step up and cover the entire replacement including install. The right thing to do.
Hello to Susan and a big “woof’ to Fiona your gorgeous brown lab. 🐾. 
Stay safe! 
 

Edited Monday at 06:19 PM by Patriot

[Patriot]

My bride has been fairly busy this morning crafting up more winter comfort food!
A nice size pot of spicy black eyed peas and iron skillet corn bread with local crafted mountain molasses.
I think we need to make this a staple when camping. 🤔
Very grateful for home cooking and taking time to just “pause” and give thanks.

Our friends never leave hungry, if they do it’s their fault. 😄

 

 

Edited Monday at 06:30 PM by Patriot

[Ollie-Haus]

About 10 inches east of Indianapolis. The drifting is the only problem now. The snow won’t be melting any time soon so hopefully the wind will stay calm. Now for the real fun with sub zero temperatures expected at night for the next few days. 
 

[Ollie-Haus]

4 minutes ago, Patriot said:

My bride has been fairly busy this morning crafting up more winter comfort food!
A nice size pot of spicy black eyed peas and iron skillet corn bread with local crafted mountain molasses.
I think we need to make this a staple when camping. 🤔
Very grateful for home cooking and taking time to just “pause” and give thanks.

Our friends never leave hungry, if they do it’s their fault. 😄

 

 

Wow that looks yummy!!🤩

[Patriot]

1 minute ago, Ollie-Haus said:

About 10 inches east of Indianapolis. The drifting is the only problem now. The snow won’t be melting any time soon so hopefully the wind will stay calm. Now for the real fun with sub zero temperatures expected at night for the next few days. 
 

Looking really good Chris, way to go staying ahead of it. Your home looks really festive brother!
Regards to Stacie and you guys stay safe and warm. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍🏻👍🏻

[Patriot]

4 minutes ago, Ollie-Haus said:

Wow that looks yummy!!🤩

How fast can you both get here?  We love sharing food!  😄

Edited Monday at 06:38 PM by Patriot

[Boudicca908]

25 minutes ago, Patriot said:

iron skillet corn bread

The BEST corn bread is made in piping hot cast iron.

[Patriot]

20 hours ago, Boudicca908 said:

The BEST corn bread is made in piping hot cast iron.

💯The best and only corn bread is in a piping hot skillet, gotta have that light crunch! 😋😄

Edited 21 hours ago by Patriot

[Steph and Dud B]

About 14” from the weekend storm. At least the Oliver is safe indoors. Looks like next weekend might bring more snow. Haven't seen a winter like this in CT for many years.