DANIEL ESTRIN, HOST:
One winter weather watcher was very cold and very cranky Thursday morning.
(SOUNDBITE OF VIDEO)
MARK WOODLEY: What better time to ask the sports guy to come in about 5 hours earlier than he would normally wake up, go stand out in the wind and the snow and the cold, and tell other people not to do the same? I didn't even realize that there was a 3:30 also in the morning until today.
ESTRIN: That's KWWL reporter Mark Woodley reporting from Waterloo, Iowa.
WOODLEY: I did 14 live hits over the course of two and a half hours, so I'd be outside for 6 minutes, and I'd be inside for 10 minutes. And I didn't really completely thaw out in that 10 minutes, because when it's that cold out, you know, it takes some time to warm up.
ESTRIN: Woodley posted some of his best winter storm chase observations to Twitter.
(SOUNDBITE OF VIDEO)
WOODLEY: The good news is that I can still feel my face right now. The bad news is I kind of wish I couldn't.
ESTRIN: And he promptly went viral.
WOODLEY: The reaction has been insane. And the thing about - I love about it - 90, 95% has been positive. I didn't think this storm was a joke, and I want to make sure people know that. But, you know, I also thought, you know, if I bring some of my personality to it, maybe people will pay attention more.
ESTRIN: And by the end of his 14 live hits, you could sense the relief.
(SOUNDBITE OF VIDEO)
WOODLEY: Live in Waterloo for the last time this morning, thankfully, I'm Mark Woodley. News 7, KWWL.
ESTRIN: And despite the millions and millions of clicks, don't expect him back there anytime soon.
WOODLEY: Maybe some time in life we'll make it big for something, and crotchety old complaining weather reporter was never on that list. But I am going back to sports reporting. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
