Okay, now it’s official: Mike Francis has been named chief meteorologist at Atlanta’s WXIA.
Earlier this month, KARK, Francis’s now-former station, jumped the gun in announcing that the veteran meteorologist had landed a job in the #8 market. In reality, Francis’s agent was still finalizing the WXIA deal. But now the Gannett-owned NBC-affiliate has announced that Francis is indeed joining the station.
“Mike Francis is one of the most well respected and knowledgeable meteorologists in the country,” said WXIA VP of News Ellen Crooke, in announcing the hiring. “He is such a perfect fit for us. His years of storm chasing have given him incredible insight into the way storms behave and I’m proud to have him lead our team.”
Francis, who spent the past decade at KARK, is replacing Paul Ossmann, who will be leaving WXIA later this month.
“Spending my entire career in the southern United States, I know all of the crazy things Mother Nature can throw at us. Trust me, I have seen it all,” Francis said. “I will be bringing this knowledge to the beautiful city of Atlanta and will provide the same type of coverage Arkansans have come to count on over the past ten years.”
Here’s a YouTube video of Francis from April…