After news broke that longtime Chief Meteorologist Mark Johnson is “no longer employed” at WEWS, the Cleveland news station will now be looking to fill that position.
But who is on the Channel 5 weather team now?
Here’s a look at the meteorologists who remain on staff.
Good Morning Cleveland meteorologist, Trent Magill
Trent Magill joined WEWS in 2011 and once again in 2019. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri in atmospheric science with a math minor. He says his role model is Johnson, according to his staff profile.
He is currently on the GMC show that airs from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.
Evening and weekend meteorologist Katie McGraw
Katie McGraw joined WEWS in 2021. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University in meteorology with minors in math and communications. She is on the GMC weekend shift and News 5 at noon show.
She earned a certified broadcast meteorologist seal from the American Meteorological Society.
Nightside and weekend meteorologist Phil Sakal
Phil Sakal is fairly new to WEWS, joining in 2022. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Ohio University in meteorology/geography. He says Johnson, Magill and McGraw are his role models on his staff profile. He covers the evening/nightside shifts at WEWS.
News director Jodie Heisner says the station is currently accepting internal and external applications for an evening meteorologist to fill Johnson’s position.
Why is Mark Johnson no longer at WEWS?
A brief announcement on May 9 did not include a reason for the separation or the nature of Johnson’s departure, but included a statement from WEWS Vice President and General Manager Steve Weinstein:
“We want our audiences to know that News 5 and its parent company, Scripps, take protecting our audiences’ trust very seriously by requiring our employees to adhere to the highest ethical standards. We cannot provide further details, as this is a personnel matter.”
The announcement said the station’s “commitment to being the weather team Northeast Ohio turns to for safety and accuracy remains steadfast.”
Johnson joined Channel 5 in November 1993, according to a page on the station’s website that has since been taken down.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Who remains on WEWS Channel 5 weather team in Cleveland after Mark Johnson’s firing?
Reporting by Alisson Toro-Lagos, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
