Kalie Pluchel left KCRG in 2021 in order to move away from the broadcast meteorology field so that she could focus on a new, personal project.
Broadcast meteorology is an integral part of the way that most people live their lives. In fact, it can even be crucial during times of extreme weather conditions.
Kalie Pluchel was a broadcast meteorologist at KCRG until 13 October 2021, when she moved on to focus on a personal project that was close to her heart.
The importance of broadcast meteorology
Regardless of whether you tune into your local news station every morning, on social media, or through their mobile application for a weather update, there is no denying that most people would be lost without their favourite local broadcast meteorologist.
This is because broadcast meteorologists advise listeners/viewers how to dress, which roads to avoid, and what they can expect for temperatures on weekends.
In fact, according to a PEW Research Study that was conducted in 2018, about 70 percent of adults confirmed that weather was an important factor in their daily lives.
However, broadcast meteorologists have responsibilities beyond just reporting the weather conditions and often have an integral role to play in warning and informing the public in the case of upcoming extreme weather conditions.
Why did Kalie Pluchel leave KCRG?
Kalie Pluchel joined the KCRG team as their resident broadcast meteorologist in 2019 .She then subsequently spent over two years providing the residents of Cedar Rapids and other nearby Iowa towns, with their daily weather forecasts and updates.
Through the years, Kalie became the well-known face of all things weather for Cedar Rapids locals, and her peppy personality always ensured that she was a stand-out on screens.
However, on 11 October 2021, Kalie shared a post on her Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages to share the bittersweet news that she would be leaving KCRG.
In this post, Kalie announced that the 13 October 2021 broadcast would be her last with KCRG. She also made a point of thanking her fans for trusting her over the years during severe weather conditions, but also for tuning in to watch her on the morning and evening newscasts daily.
Many of these fans of the show were devastated to hear the news and Kalie’s post on social media was flooded with fans who wished her well on her future endeavours.
She also thanked her co-workers for working with her during the difficult times and making her laugh and for putting on an excellent show over the years.
She ended her post with an explanation that she had decided to leave KCRG to move away from broadcast television in general, but that Cedar Rapids would always hold a “very special place” in her heart.
In the end, it seems that Kalie left KCRG so that she could spend more time focusing on other projects.
The current KCRG weather team
Although Kalie has now left the KCRG team permanently, the current KCRG team is still chock-full of talented meteorologists who work hard to keep the locals informed about the weather. This team includes:
| Title | Name |
| Chief Meteorologist | Joe Winters |
| Morning Meteorologist | Kaj O’Mara |
| Meteorologist | Jan Ryherd |
| Meteorologist | Corey Thompson |
| Meteorologist | Hannah Messier |
Which projects did Kalie Pluchel move on to?
Kalie Pluchel was pretty vague in her goodbye post on social media and only specified that she would be moving away from being a broadcast meteorologist to follow a new opportunity that would bring her closer to the people in her life who she “loves the most”.
She later confirmed in the comments that she was keeping the details of this new project vague intentionally, because it is so personal to her.
What has Kalie been doing since she left KCRG?
Kalie made it clear in her farewell post that she felt she needed to move away from broadcast meteorology after four years of providing the people of Louisiana and Iowa with regular weather forecasts.
However, she did not end up stepping away from the profession completely. Since she left, Kalie has been acting as a stand-in for the 25 News First Alert Weather Team when needed.
She even announced in another social media post on 21 November 2022 that she would be continuing in her role as a stand-in broadcast meteorologist.
Besides her work in the field of broadcast meteorology, Kalie is also quite active on her various social media platforms, where she likes to keep her fans updated about her life.
She shares some relevant news clips and, predictably, some weather updates from time to time. She has even updated her bio section on Instagram to say that she moved from “Meteorology” to “Marketing.”