NBC Chicago forecaster set to retire

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WMAQ morning meteorologist Andy Avalos is set to retire, with his last day on NBC 5 News Aug. 27, 2021.

Avalos worked at WLS, the ABC owned station in the market for 10 years before moving over the NBC Chicago in 1994.

He operated a pancake house from 1999 to 2003 when he returned to the station’s morning newscasts.

There’s no word on who will replace Avalos, though the station has several options, including Pete Sack, Alicia Roman and Paul Deanno — or a new hire.

Back in 2019, Roman was teamed with Avalos on the station’s morning newscasts three days a week. She then worked Saturdays and Sundays under this arrangement.

Roman is the most likely candidate to replace Avalos, given that she’s already on the morning shift and has been an integral part of the morning newscast for some time now.

The NBC 5 Storm Team also includes chief meteorologist Brant Miller.

“NBC 5 News Today” saw Michelle Relerford move to the anchor desk alongside Zoraida Sambolin in the summer of 2020.

Across town, CBS Chicago’s WBBM has had significant upheaval on its low rated morning newscast, with former co-anchors Marissa Bailey and Erin Kennedy both getting laid off. Morning forecaster Megan Glaros also lost her job.

Market leader WLS has a solid morning team, including Tracy Butler on weather, Terrell Brown and Tanja Babich on the anchor desk, Samantha Chatman providing consumer reports and Roz Varon with traffic.

Brown has had stints filling in on ABC News’ “World News Now” and “America This Morning” as well as weekend “GMA.”