The weather is a bit brighter for Jeff Verszyla.
The former KDKA-TV chief meteorologist will begin working freelance for WTAE-TV newscasts, beginning this weekend. He is expected to work mostly weekend evenings into early August on an “as needed” basis.
He starts on Father’s Day at 6:30 and 11 p.m.
“I am thankful and excited for the opportunity to return to local television doing the job that I love for the city I love,” said Verszyla, whose contract noncompete clause ended in January.
He had been let go by KDKA in December 2018 after 23 years. Neither he nor the station would comment on the reason.
In the meantime, Verszyla has cultivated a following for his homespun “Whiteboard Weather” online Facebook segments, often assembled in his backyard in Pine.
He said he will continue doing them weekdays at 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
In his Facebook Live announcement Thursday evening, Verszyla joked that perhaps he’d be “rusty,” given it’s been about 18 months since he was last on air.
WTAE has an opening on its weather team with the departure of Alex Alecci, who just took a job at NBC affiliate WESH in Orlando, Fla.
Maria Sciullo: msciullo@post-gazette.com or @Maria_Sciullo_.
First Published: June 18, 2020, 11:18 p.m.
