'I Was Having Fun!' WBZ's Bill Shields Lights Up Social Media During Blizzard

BOSTON (CBS) – Bill Shields has thawed out after a frigid day in Plymouth, and he's caught up with what's trending on Twitter.

The WBZ-TV reporter was live throughout the day Thursday from the Plymouth coastline. He was whipped around by the high winds and battered by heavy snow, but weathered the storm.

"I've got a question for you. Why do they always put me right on the coast? I'm the old guy. I should go inland where there's not a lot of wind, nice fluffy snow," Shields joked during one of his live hits.

Viewers took notice of Shields' efforts. "Bill Shields" became a trending topic on Twitter in the Boston area by Thursday afternoon.

"Bill if it makes you feel any better you are trending on Twitter," anchor David Wade remarked from the warmth of the WBZ-TV studio.

"Oh," Shields replied. "What does that mean?"

Shields, who joined the WBZ-TV news team in 1980, has gotten used to covering brutal New England storms.

He said cameraman William Meservey and truck operator Ron Mitchell deserve all the credit for their efforts keeping equipment dry and functioning. Meservey used trash bags and whatever else was available at the live shot location to keep the crew's camera dry.

"I didn't do anything heroic. I was having fun. I love a good storm. A good storm is a blast," Shields said. "I love to see nature roaring around me. It's fun."

The shelter of a building was just a few feet away, where Bill was able to get out of the wind in between live hits on TV.

Winds were so strong throughout the day, that Shields was forced to hold onto a nearby railing in order to stay on his feet.

"It's hard because you're getting so blown around you can't hear anything. You can't hear the studio, you can't hear the control room," Shields said. "It's just a matter of maintaining your balance. I had a hold of a little railing. Otherwise I would have blown down a few times. Now that would have been funny."

As for his Twitter quip, Shields says he was in on the joke.

"I was surprised," Shields said about Twitter users taking notice of his efforts. "I knew what trending meant. I was just trying to keep it light. It's a snowstorm. It's New England in February!"