Very good post! My part of the country is relatively dry but spring here is pretty much daily rain for over a month. And for some reason my camping gear has the magical power to summon rain! I'm serious, no matter the month, be it spring, summer or fall, about 85%-90% of the times that I head out for even an overnite, I get rained on. Sometimes it's a sprinkling, sometimes a deluge.

When I can see it coming I generally cover my wood & tinder pile with a garbage bag. If my fire is already going it's usually pretty easy to stoke & roof it to keep it going thru nearly any downpour. But if I need to light in the rain and wet I'll have to try that "tenting trick" with a poncho (something I always have with me).