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[Hank D Thoreau]

I have smoked a bit in drizzly weather using a patio umbrella to cover my smoker. It was never real threatening and I did not encounter any issues

Showers and possibly some harder rain is predicted for Thanksgiving when I plan to smoke a brisket.

I am thinking of setting up my smoker under an Easy Up. We had a big rain year last year but typically it is very dry.

As such, weather does not get in the way of my grilling. So for the folks with more experiment with rain, what do you use?

I will also be smoking a leg of lamb on my DB and bbq'ing a Turkey on my Weber on Saturday. I may need the Easy Up to have enough room for all of that in addition to my gas grill for vegetables.

[triplebq]

I use a Member's Mark 10'x10' Commercial Canopy that I bought from Sam's Club. I have used it through plenty of rain storms.

[Clonesmoker]

We live in an older ranch style house that has almost a 2' deep soffit. With the back door of our garage I usually get my DB tucked under the soffit by the door. I open our back door of our garage and can open the lid of my DB with no issues. I can smoke year round even. I leave the thermal blanket on all year.

[Canadian John]

 Having dealt with inclement weather issues for years I constructed "Fort BBQ", an all cedar structure with a metal roof, a hinged shelf on one side that stores up when not in use, roof gutters to widen the roof and eliminate splashing from roof water hitting the ground..It has 2 Par20 LED flood lights for those dark days of winter or a late nite cook..It stands close to a wall on a concrete patio deck... I have  2 komadoes and a Memphis Pro in there.. It has been a life changer..My only problem has been birds.That was soon rectified by boxing in some areas and installing wire coils that look like a stretched out Slinkey...

[Bentley]

A covered patio, but if the Ez-Up keeps the rain off the controller it should be fine.

[ylr]

Glad you are getting some rain! 

[jgrayson]

I have used my pellet equipment through all kinds of weather, and never felt the need to cover them.  Rain and snow have not been problems for me, and many of these storms were pretty strong.  I do check my extension cord to make sure the connection between the extension cord and the cord to the pellet grills are not sitting on the ground so that those parts don't get submerged in puddles.

[ICIdaho]

A rain that is not coming in sideways I use a beach umbrella.  Harder and sideways rain I have attached a tarp to my eaves and to a trailer on the back patio making a lean-to.  I have also just opened up the garage door and set the smoker under it so it does not smoke up my garage but also keeps it dry.  That last is not my favorite, I tend to keep a close eye on it so I do not burn down my house if something were to go wrong.

[Hank D Thoreau]

So I really have two concerns which prompted the question. The first is getting the pellets wet and clogging the auger. I can address this with an Easy Up.

The second is controlling the smoke and not letting it collect under the Easy Up. I am sensitive to breathing smoke. It can trigger breathing issues.

I think there will be sufficient ventilation as long as smoke does not collect in the peaked top of the Easy Up.

I have been able to get away with an umbrella so far. I may need something bigger this time around.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I have used my pellet equipment through all kinds of weather, and never felt the need to cover them.  Rain and snow have not been problems for me, and many of these storms were pretty strong.  I do check my extension cord to make sure the connection between the extension cord and the cord to the pellet grills are not sitting on the ground so that those parts don't get submerged in puddles.

+1

Another option if you have time is to cook the brisket in advance when the weather is better and reheat for the day you want to serve it.

[bregent]

>So for the folks with more experiment with rain, what do you use?

A raincoat. I run the Memphis on the deck with no overhead cover.

[pmillen]

I, too, run my PG500 in rain and snow.  The only precaution I take is to ensure that the extension cord junction is not on the ground.

I have the nagging feeling, though, that I shouldn't run an electrical appliance in the rain and be added to the Darwin Award list.

[hughver]

FWIW, take it from a very old retired electrical engineer, electrical/electronic circuits do not like water/moisture. Any type of moisture can form an alternate path for current and cause all kinds of havoc.

[dk117]

>So for the folks with more experiment with rain, what do you use?

A raincoat. I run the Memphis on the deck with no overhead cover.

These threads confound me.  The question comes up often.  I live in the Pacific Northwest.  My pits are uncovered (they have their covers, but no overhead cover if that makes sense).    I could only run them 6 months of the year if a little rain concerned me.  I run them 12 months a year.   

I'm sure my pits will rust out faster than in Texas .... otherwise not many issues.   I've cleaned out an auger jam or two, no biggy.  Just motivated me to use the pit more regularly to not let the pellets expand with moisture.   

I've got a friend at work rethinking his thanksgiving plans due to rain.  I just don't get it, your pit will work fine in the rain. 

DK

[reubenray]

I use a Member's Mark 10'x10' Commercial Canopy that I bought from Sam's Club. I have used it through plenty of rain storms.

This is what I do also when it looks like a lot of rain.  I have regular umbrella setup for a light rain.  The main things I look for is to keep the pellets dry, keep me dry and keep the power on.  I have a magnetic hook on the smoker for hanging my power connection.