When the Ohio River froze over

This week’s cold wave brought record, or near-record, lows to much of the country. Temperatures fell below zero here in Cincinnati. In Pittsburgh (I have a friend who lives there), the low reached -11 F.

And yet, we old timers take such weather in stride. Many of us remember the blizzard years of 1976 to 1978.

In January 1977, the Ohio River froze over. I was only nine years old then. But one of my older friends, then in his late teens, claims to have driven his car over the river that cold January. Many people did, after all.

That said, I’m relieved to see the weather forecast for the upcoming week: afternoon highs above freezing, and one day with a forecast high of 50 F.

I’m no fan of this weather we’ve been having. But it could always be worse.

-ET