Meteorologist Erica Collura, who's expecting her second child next month, announced Monday that she's leaving WKRC-TV after nine years on Thursday, Oct. 27.
Collura was hired from Dayton's WHIO-TV in 2013 by the late Tim Hedrick, and replaced him on Channel 12's main evening newscasts after Hedrick died of complications from prostate cancer three years later. She moved to the early evening newscasts when former Good Morning Cincinnati forecaster John Gumm took over the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. weather chores and eventually was named chief meteorologist.
Her departure means that all four Cincinnati TV stations will have added new meteorologists this year.
"It is with mixed emotions that I make this announcement," Collura wrote on Facebook Monday. "I appreciate each and every one of you for watching my weather broadcasts over the last nine years and some of you even longer than that since my Dayton days. I thank you for inviting me into your home every afternoon and evening."
On June 2, Collura told Channel 12 viewers she was pregnant with her second child. She showed a photo of her daughter Greenley wearing a pink "Big Sister" T-shirt.
"I'm high-risk, as you know, and it's been very stressful," she said.
Three weeks later, she showed viewers video from her gender reveal party announcing she was having a second daughter.
A Pittsburgh native, Collura was hired by WHIO-TV after earning a meteorology degree from Penn State University in 2010.
Cincinnati viewers have become accustomed to changes in the TV weather this year.
WXIX-TV hired Ethan Embry to replace Olga Breese last winter. WLWT-TV added weekend meteorologist Adam Burniston in April to replace Cameron Hardin, who left in December.
Sherry Hughes left WCPO-TV last November creating the opening for meteorologist Brandon Spinner. Jeff Brogan, WCPO-TV vice president and general manager., said in August that the station plans to move weekend morning forecaster Raven Richard to traffic reporter after a new meteorologist is hired.
