On early weekday mornings, WANF Atlanta News First meteorologist Ella Dorsey delivers the morning weather, while hours later, her station colleague, Chief Meteorologist Jennifer Valdez presents the forecast to the dinner and late-night viewers.
Their schedules will flip beginning next Monday.
Starting September 28, Dorsey will be on at 5-7 pm and 9-10 on the independent station’s newscasts. Valdez will take over the morning newscasts at the station. Valdez remains ANF’s Chief Met, which is the same situation as with crosstown station WAGA’s Joanne Feldman, who is that station’s lead forecaster despite working mornings. Typically chief mets work the highest-rated evening newscasts.
Both appear more than satisfied with the upcoming change in schedule.
‘This is something we both wanted for quite a long time,” said Dorsey on a post on Instagram. “It’s best for where we are in our lives, our families…It’s a decision we are both really thrilled about.”
Dorsey noted on Instagram that the early morning wake-ups were taking a toll on her health.
“The morning shift has been a constant struggle for me these past 6 years. The 2-3am alarm takes a toll on every part of your life… and the hours started to really impact my health this year,” she posted.
Valdez said she was “super excited” about the schedule shift. She stated she enjoyed working mornings when she previously did, and she wanted more time for her family, which she felt she wasn’t getting enough of working the PM shift. She stated on her Instagram account last Friday that her two children are now teens and the new schedule will give her a chance to spend more time with them.
“Time is flying by, life is short,” Valdez said. “I am missing precious, precious time with my kids…I love what I do, and I love this job, and it’s something I don’t take lightly…I do miss that time with my kids, and if there’s a perfect world where I can do both, I’m going to take it.”
The two certified mets are no strangers to each other’s upcoming schedules. Valdez formerly worked mornings at the Gray Media-owned WANF for 11 years prior to working her current evening shift. Dorsey previously worked nights before her current morning shift.
Valdez and Dorsey are among WANF’s longest-running and most popular talents. Valdez has been with the station for more than eighteen years, while Dorsey is in her tenth year. The WANF weather and traffic crew also includes Rodney Harris (who now works mornings with Dorsey and will be when Valdez takes over), Patrick Pete, Anthony Baglione, JD Disharoon, Isaac Williams, and traffic reporter Taylor Tucker. Their schedules will not change.
Images credit: WANF/Gray Media
