THE FIRST WINTER STORM IN PITTSBRUGH 2022

                                            PHOTO BY J.L. MARTELLO / 18RICCO

I HEARD IT WAS -4 DEGREES ON DEC. 23RD 2022, SO I WANTED TO GO THE THE RIVER IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH TO PHOTOGRAPH AND VIDEO TAPE ONE OF THEM. THE WIND WAS BLOWING CRAZY THROUGH OUT THE CITY, HOWEVER NOT AS STRONG OR AS COLD AS IT WAS BY THE ALLEGHENY RIVER. AS SOON AS I GOT BY THE BRIDGE YOU COULD FEEL THE DIFFERENCE HOW STRONG AND COLD IT WAS. I WAS AMAZED BY THE SITE OF THE RIVER DUE TO THE HIEGHT, SPEED AND DIRECTING OF THE WAVES. I HAVE BEEN BY THE RIVER IN ALL TIMES OF THE YEAAR AND NEVER HAVE I SEEN THIS. THE RIVER WAS FLOWING BACKWARDS AS THE POWERFUL COLD WIND WAS BLOWING UP THE OHIO RIVER MAKING THE ALLEGHENY LOOK LIKE IT WAS SUPPOST TO FLOW THAT WAY. THE WAVES WERE NONE STOP FOR THE 20-30 MINS I WAS ON THE CITY SIDE RIVER WALK. THEY HIT THE SIDE OF THE WALK WAY MAKING IT SHAKE, AT TIMES MAKING ME THINK IT WAS GOING TO FALL IN THE RIVER AS THE SOUND WAS POUNDING AS IT SHOOK. I TURNED TO THE LEFT TO LOOK DOWN RIVER TOWARDS THE OHIO AS IF TO THINK THE WAVES WERE GOING TO GET BIGGER AND IT WAS GOING TO FLOOD OVER THE WALK WAY. YOU CAN HEAR THE RIVER THE WIND AND THE WAVES HIT IN THE VIDEO. WHEN IT IS BELOW 0 IN PITTSBURGH IT WILL ONLY TAKE A FEW DAYS FOR THE ALLEGHENY RIVER TO FREEZE. THAT IS WHY I WAS DOWN THERE I WANTED TO CAPTURE THE FIRST REAL WINTER STORM OF THE YEAR WITH SNOW AND FREEZING TEMPS. AS YOU SEE THE WIND BLOWING OVER THE RIVER IT WAS HITTING ME AS WELL. AT SEVERAL POINTS I HAVE TO WIPE MY EYES CAUSE MY EYE LASHES WERE FREEZING, YES WITH FROST. I HAD A MASK ON COVERING MY NOSE AND MOUTH NOT MY EYES OR HEAD. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER GOTTEN A BRAIN FREEZE FROM THE WIND. MY FOREHEAD FELT LIKE I JUST DRANK A LARGE ICEE IN 10 SECONDS. I WAS DRESSED FOR THE COLD I DIDNT HAVE MY HEAD COVERED CAUSE I NEVER DO COVER MY HEAD. IN THESE CONDITIONS YOU HAVE TO BE DRESSED FOR THE WEATHER AND KNOW THAT THE RIVER CAN BE A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE, SO DONT GO THERE IN THESE CONDITIONS!!! WRITTEN BY J.L. MARTELLLO /18RICCO

https://youtu.be/b0Kju9-vDBM VIDEO BY J.L. MARTELLO/18RICCO