ABC 7 shifts Larry Mowry to weekday weather front

Larry Mowry and Cheryl Scott

With the impending retirement of chief meteorologist Jerry Taft, WLS-Channel 7 announced a change in its weather front Friday.

Larry Mowry, who has been appearing on the ABC-owned station’s weekend morning newscasts, will move to weekdays, starting January 22. He’ll deliver forecasts on ABC 7’s 4 and 6 p.m. newscasts and on the 7 p.m. newscast the station produces for Weigel Broadcasting WCIU-Channel 26.

Mowry joined ABC 7 in 2016 after eight years as chief meteorologist at CBS-owned KTVT in Dallas.

Cheryl Scott will continue on the 5 and 10 p.m. newscasts.

Scott joined ABC 7 in 2014 after three years as weekend weather forecaster at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5. In 2016 she was promoted to the 10 p.m. newscast, as Taft reduced his workload.

“We all know Jerry is irreplaceable, but we have finalized our weekday weather lineup,” Jennifer Graves, vice president and news director of ABC 7, told staffers in an email Friday.

Jerry Taft

Taft, 74, announced last month he was retiring after more than 40 years as a Chicago weatherman, including the last 34 years at ABC 7. “While I still have my health, wit and vitality it’s time to hang out with my real family, assuming they still remember me,” he told colleagues. “And I also need to hit the golf course while I still have a single digit handicap.”

He’ll make his final appearance on ABC 7 January 19.

No changes were announced in the duties of meteorologists Tracy Butler on weekday mornings and Phil Schwarz on weekend evenings. Graves said Mark McGinnis will work weekend mornings when he is available until a permanent replacement is named.