I was just sitting down to compose this when I thought to myself, "Didn't I write something on this very thing a year ago at this time?"
Did a little digging, and sure enough, I did - back on January 13, 2025, when I felt the need to brag a little bit about the prep Mom and I did ahead of a winter storm we went through at the time, which included putting tarps on the part of the sidewalk closest to the house, which ended up working out great since that area doesn't get great sunlight and takes the longest to thaw out after these types of things.
Though I don't keep meticulous records on it, snow/winter storms in the south in January around this time of the month have become increasingly common, to the extent that on several occasions birthday plans for yours truly had to be postponed by a week or so while everything melted away, something that has happened yet again ahead of the looming weather events.
SEE ALSO (VIP): In Praise of Preppers (or, How I Wish I Was Better Prepared for This Snow and Ice Storm)
Obviously, this weekend is going to be a doozy weather-wise for a large chunk of the country, and the type of accumulation you get and how much is going to differ from place to place, of course. As it turns out, Charlotte has landed in what our local weather dude, WCNC's Brad Panovich, has described as the deep purple zone - where we may see up to a 3/4 inch ice accumulation from freezing rain and sleet, which means there is a strong chance of downed trees and power lines/outages, the latter of which could last for several days.
Now, like my colleague Teri, who wrote earlier in praise of preppers, I've stocked up on the things we'd need in the event of a sustained power outage, like bread, snacks, canned foods that don't need to be heated up, water, toilet paper, and that sort of thing. I've also got our portable phone chargers charged up, and bought a container of snow/ice-melt for the rest of the sidewalk.
A trip to Bojangles may be in the cards as well on Saturday:
Sneak peek at Sunday afternoon in the Carolinas. 😂🤣#cltwx #ncwx #scwx #wcnc pic.twitter.com/2HERyLGzbP
— Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) January 21, 2026
Also, like Teri, what we don't have is a generator or an indoor portable power station, which I could kick myself over. Because one thing I wrote from that piece last year on my prep was how I wanted to get an indoor power station for future weather events like what we're getting ready to experience.
Has that happened? Of course not. I've researched here and there, consulted with family members and friends who know something about them, but every time I went to look in a store or online, I've been like, "I'm just not sure this is the right one." Plus, they are expensive (though well-worth the money). So, like so many other things on my to-do list, making a decision about an indoor power station kept being put on hold, and now it's too late for this storm.
I even rushed out to Home Depot on Friday (today) on the off chance they might have something, and no luck. Funnily enough, the people who walked in right behind me were looking for the same thing. I heard them ask one of the floor associates. And anything ordered from Amazon wouldn't get here for at least a week.
Needless to say, I will be pulling the trigger on an indoor power station in the next week - assuming we have power and internet at that point. ;) Specifically, I'm going to get something that will accommodate a 1500-watt portable heater, because more than things spoiling in the fridge, my main concern is making sure my mom isn't shivering in her own home from lack of heat when nighttime rolls around.
Lord willing, we should be fine. We've got like 1,000 throw blankets and quilts, lots of jackets, candles, and that sort of thing. Needless to say, though, I hope it doesn't come to that point.
If you're looking for a chuckle in the middle of everything, this handy-dandy southern winter storm bingo card should do the trick.
❄️ Winter Storm Bingo is BACK! ❄️
— Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) January 22, 2026
We are officially in storm mode, so save this card to keep your sanity. Play along while watching the stream, newscast or scrolling the comments (I guarantee you'll find the "Bread & Milk" square fast 🍞🥛).
🛑 ONE RULE: Do NOT make this a… pic.twitter.com/IUR3VdpOuA
I think my favorite one is the "Northern Transplant Comment," which we get a lot of when these things happen. I know folks mean well, but when someone with a Brooklyn accent is declaring "this ain't nothin'!" when you're a Southern girl trying to politely elbow the lady who already has three full carts for the last loaf of bread, trust me, the last thing you want to hear is a smart aleck!
Stay safe out there, y'all.
