Chief meteorologist Robb Ellis leaves WIS

Popular WIS meteorologist and the head of the station’s First Alert Team, Robb Ellis, has left the Columbia television station.

“He had an opportunity to return to Indianapolis, so he took it,” said WIS news director Mark Little.

“I’m excited to be returning to my second home, Indianapolis” Ellis said in a message Friday evening.

“It was tough leaving Indy. Now equally tough leaving Columbia,” he said.

He said he could not answer at the moment where he will be working next.

Little said a replacement for Ellis has not been hired.

Ellis became WIS’s chief meteorologist in early 2016 after working three years at WISH-TV in Indianapolis. At the time of his departure from WISH, Ellis wrote on his Facebook page, “I’m looking forward to getting back home,” the Indianapolis Business Journal reported.

His job at WIS also brought him back to the station where he worked as a “weather intern” for two months in 2000.

A graduate of Spring Valley High School, Ellis attended the University of South Carolina for a while but he got his degree in meteorology from N.C. State.

He once said he knew he wanted to be a meteorologist after experiencing Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

Ellis’ departure is the second loss of an on-camera personality for the station in the past month. Meaghan Norman announced her departure Feb. 21.

This story was originally published March 10, 2017 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Chief meteorologist Robb Ellis leaves WIS."