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Radio snow storm stories
- Thread starter RockofHBG
- Start date
A "storm of the century" was predicted for February 11, 1983 and they nailed it. I was part-time and slated to fill in for Chris Andree that Friday night from 6 to midnight on WKBO. The snow began late that afternoon and my plan was to leave an hour earlier than usually needed to make the 20 minute commute to KBO's hilltop studios near Harrisburg East Mall from my parents' house in Hershey. By the time went to leave, we'd already gotten so much so that I couldn't get my '76 rust-bucket Rabbit out of my on-street parking spot. Reluctantly I called Neil Howard who was then KBO's afternoon drive jock, and I informed him I would not be able to make it. I hated to do that because I was young and really wanted to be at the radio station for this storm, rather than stuck at home with my parents. I also wanted to be somewhere where I could freely smoke (yes, in '83 you could still smoke in radio stations). I even tried to arrange for a ride from a buddy, but he couldn't get through. By midday the next day, the snow had stopped and I was able dig out the Rabbit. I was tired of staying at home and even though my next scheduled airshift wasn't until Sunday at noon, I headed to the station with hopes I could help out in some way, to kind of make up for missing my Friday shift. On the way, I grabbed a Big Mac and fries. When I got there PD Tim Burns was on the air, Turns out no one else could make it in and Neil had been on all night through Saturday morning (and this was without a set it and forget it automation system). I agreed to go on the air until midnight that night. By the end of my shift, I was tired and hungry and ready to go home. As is normal after a heavy snowfall, the temp fell to 0, give or take. I went out and thankfully my car started right up, I probably should have let it warm up a few more minutes, but I was anxious to get going. About a mile and a half from the station, my car died. It had a history of gas line freeze, After a few attempts to get going, my battery died. I trudged back up the hill in the sub-freezing temps with icicles hanging from my mustache. I talked Mark Shuey(later the sports guy on the WINK Wakeup Show) into leaving his post as Larry King board op and helping me try get my car started. After several failed attempts, we returned to the studios. By then I was extremely hungry, and the only food available, was a cake left over from a Friday remote and a case of cheap bear (don't know why it was there). Mmmmmmm cake and beer!! What a combo. I couldn't eat either for 6 months after that. I tried to sleep that night on a vinyl couch in an un-vented lounge off the ladies room. I don't remember how I finally got the car started the next day, but that Monday it was off to Sears for a new Die hard.
In December of 1981, I was working full-time on air 6 -11 PM at QV93 (now TPA) with the studios located at Strawberry Alley in Mechanicsburg. One Monday a winter storm was forecast and I had to take my girlfriend at the time back to school at Villanova U outside of Philly. Fully anticipating the weather, I left very early that morning to ensure I'd be back in time for my airshift. Nonetheless, I got caught behind a snow plow on the PA Turnpike on the way back. I knew I would be late and this was years before cell phones were commonplace. I figured getting off to call would make me even later, so I kept going. ]I finally got to work an hour and a half late. Thankfully, my PD,the afternoon guy just concerned, not angry.
G
grandoleopry
Guest
Couple of stories to relate....one of the first major snowstorms I recall being on the air
was in Feb 1987; it was one of those storms that was supposed to be just a few
inches it turned out to be 2 feet + It was one of the first shifts I did at Z-107.
I was covering for Dandelion ; Tod Jeffers who was doing mornings could not make it in,
Steve Wagner was able to get in later. Spent 10+ hours on the air ...and the only
one in the building to answer calls., and to boot the late Bob Zimmerman was in town.
Also endured the blizzard of 93 & 96 at WOYK on starview mountain. 96 In particular
it took two days for a plow to get up the mountain to clear it. There were two of us
myself and Hal Raymond that kept the station on the air during that time. At 3am in the
morning I answered the phone and it was an anchor from the BBC in York England
who was doing a feature report on the the blizzard that dropped 30+ inches of snow
on York, PA; so I ended up being interviewed on the BBC.
was in Feb 1987; it was one of those storms that was supposed to be just a few
inches it turned out to be 2 feet + It was one of the first shifts I did at Z-107.
I was covering for Dandelion ; Tod Jeffers who was doing mornings could not make it in,
Steve Wagner was able to get in later. Spent 10+ hours on the air ...and the only
one in the building to answer calls., and to boot the late Bob Zimmerman was in town.
Also endured the blizzard of 93 & 96 at WOYK on starview mountain. 96 In particular
it took two days for a plow to get up the mountain to clear it. There were two of us
myself and Hal Raymond that kept the station on the air during that time. At 3am in the
morning I answered the phone and it was an anchor from the BBC in York England
who was doing a feature report on the the blizzard that dropped 30+ inches of snow
on York, PA; so I ended up being interviewed on the BBC.
I've always had a total hatred of commuting and have tried to live as close to my job as possible. At the time of the 1996 blizzard with 3 feet of snow, my wife and I had just bought a house that was literally 2000 feet from WHYL where I was doing afternoon drive at the time. The reverse payoff came when drifting snow closed Walnut Bottom Road completely with drifts 6 feet deep! I was the only one who could get to the station and ended up on the air for 16 hours straight until overnight jock Glenn Stoner was able to get a ride in by snowmobile! We then took turns on the air until the road was open.
When the February blizzard of '83 hit, I was doing middays at Sunny99 WSFM. I seem to remember that most forecasters were calling for minimal amounts of accumulation, so none of us was concerned about getting to work on time. I started my airshift at 10, and by noon, most of the staff had split, as the snow was coming down much faster than had been predicted; the weather people kept upping the likely accumulation, too. By 2, there were just two of us left in the building: me and another jock. The afternoon guy couldn't make it, nor could the evening or overnight jock. My cohort and I ended up splitting the then 25-hour marathon, trying to take catnaps here and there, getting quite silly at times as we struggled to keep our eyes open - no food, just coffee and water. The next day, around 11, our program director (who wasn't a jock) showed up, told us to go home, and he took over on-air; that was not a pretty thing to hear either.
I remember that drive home like it was yesterday - from Poplar Church Road in Wormleysburg to my house in Colonial Park. The roads were just barely passable, but I-83 was quite scary. The plows had made one lane on each side of the highway, and those lanes were like tunnels with walls that were much higher than my car. Needless to say, when I got home, I zonked out until the next day.
I remember that drive home like it was yesterday - from Poplar Church Road in Wormleysburg to my house in Colonial Park. The roads were just barely passable, but I-83 was quite scary. The plows had made one lane on each side of the highway, and those lanes were like tunnels with walls that were much higher than my car. Needless to say, when I got home, I zonked out until the next day.
FreddyB....that had to be Bob Paiva who came in and sent you guys home. It must have been a real treat to listen to. One time he spent an entire break urging listeners to WEAR A HAT to keep warmer in the winter....kind of a forerunner of John Tesh. LOL! Looks like more weather for Tuesday and Wednesday....so let's all break out Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" and celebrate the endless Groundhog Day of 2010...and by the way.....Wear a Hat!
Blizzard of '93.
At WTPA, on the air 19 hours straight.
At WTPA, on the air 19 hours straight.
it was the winter of 1978. working at WNOW-AM/Q106-FM up on the hill, off Druck Valley Road. the road leading up to the station was all ice...township crews didn't touch that road. i parked the ole car at the foot the hill, and literally crawled up the hill! yes, on my hands and knees. i had a job to do...and thousands of people were depending on me!!! ha ha! and it never failed. the day after all those school delays and closings, i always ended up with a sore throat or larangitis. but still went to work! remember, thousands were depending upon me!! yep, those were the good ole' days!! ML
A
arehkopf
Guest
The blizzard of 1993 at WHP 580. The likes of me, Dennis Edwards, Melanie Apple and others camped out in Dame Media's conference room (despite a nice Red Roof Inn next door). You learn a lot about your co-workers when you sleep with them. 
I think it was either in 1997 or 1998, they did put us up in the hotel. I bunked with Bob Durgin, who could not stand my snoring. He kept waking me up every time I fell asleep...you guessed it..."Give me a physical break!" When I got up to do the AM news, guess who was snoring loudly in his own bed? Yeah, he got an ugly wake up call as I headed out the door! He has and will likely still deny this story. (Still love ya, Bob!)
I think it was either in 1997 or 1998, they did put us up in the hotel. I bunked with Bob Durgin, who could not stand my snoring. He kept waking me up every time I fell asleep...you guessed it..."Give me a physical break!" When I got up to do the AM news, guess who was snoring loudly in his own bed? Yeah, he got an ugly wake up call as I headed out the door! He has and will likely still deny this story. (Still love ya, Bob!)
I've been to that Red Roof Inn.
You made the right lodging choice with the conference room. Since then, they've put us up at what used to be the Best Western. 'Not bad at all...
You made the right lodging choice with the conference room. Since then, they've put us up at what used to be the Best Western. 'Not bad at all...
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