WCBS weathercaster Katie Fehlinger is set to return to her native Philadelphia in the fall. CBS confirmed the long-rumored move by Fehlinger today, announcing that she will join the CBS-owned KYW–WPSG duopoly.
Fehlinger will replace Kate Bilo as weather forecaster on the morning show. Bilo, in turn, replaces chief meteorologist Kathy Orr, reporting the weather for the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts on KYW. Orr will shift to the 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. broadcasts, citing a desire to reduce her workload as her children get older.
Fehlinger has been at WCBS for only a short time — she joined the CBS O&O in New York in March after four years with Accuweather. Originally a general news reporter, Fehlinger switched her focus to weather in 2006. She calls her first weather report, an update on tornadoes in the Midwest for Fox News, the highlight of her career.“I never had a more exciting moment professionally,” she said. “I knew I had chosen the right career.”
Read the full press release after the jump.
KATHY ORR SHIFTS TO NIGHTSIDE
TO FOCUS ON 10, 11PM NEWSCASTS;
KATIE FEHLINGER TO JOIN MORNING TEAM,
KATE BILO MOVES UP TO 5, 6 PM NEWS
Philadelphia, August 1, 2011 – CBS 3 and The CW Philly will be expanding their Eyewitness News weather team this September when Lehigh Valley native Katie Fehlinger, currently the weekend morning weather forecaster for WCBS in New York, comes home to join the CBS Philadelphia stations.
The expansion allows Chief Meteorologist Kathy Orr to focus on the stations’ primary 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. broadcasts beginning this August. Orr has decided to reduce her work schedule after 20 years of work as a broadcast meteorologist. “It’s been exciting, challenging and rewarding,” Orr says, “but, with two school age children who are growing up fast, I am trying to seek a balance in my life. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to continue contributing to the success of CBS 3 and The CW Philly and still be able to spend more time with my family.”
Current morning Meteorologist Kate Bilo will move up to the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts with Fehlinger, who arrives in September, replacing Bilo and joining the morning team of Ukee Washington, Erika von Tiehl and Bob Kelly.
Prior to joining WCBS as a weathercaster in April, Fehlinger was a forecaster for nearly five years at AccuWeather, Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania. While at AccuWeather, Fehlinger served as a regular football, baseball, and hockey game day weather reporter for several regional Fox Sports Networks, NESN, YES, and the Big Ten Network. She has appeared on a host of other major networks including FOX News, FOX Business, ESPN and ABC. Fehlinger’s reports brought a niche emphasis to climate change issues and the weather’s effects on sports.
She began her broadcasting career in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley where she reported for RCN 4 located in Bath, and later did feature reporting for WLVT-TV’s Emmy award-winning news/magazine show Tempo!
In 2006 she switched her focus to weather – and her passion for meteorology has grown ever since. Her first-ever live shot was an update for FOX News on the tornadoes ripping through the Midwest. “I never had a more exciting moment professionally,” says Fehlinger. “I knew I had chosen the right career.”
Fehlinger now joins the Eyewitness News weather team of Kathy Orr, Kate Bilo, Justin Drabick and Carol Erickson.
Fehlinger graduated summa cum laude from Cedar Crest College in Allentown with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications. She also studied geosciences at Mississippi State University.
CBS 3 (KYW-TV) and The CW Philly 57 (WPSG-TV) are part of CBS Television Stations, a division of CBS Corporation.