Lansing’s WILX News 10 Says Goodbye to a Familiar Face

With all due respect, local television is weird.

It's weird how those people on our screens slowly, quietly become part of our daily lives. We don't really know them. Maybe we've briefly met once at some charity event, or maybe never at all, but over time they start to feel like acquaintances. Familiar. Trustworthy. Almost... friends.

READ MORE: Honoring the Career of Longtime WLNS Anchor Sheri Jones

That's why when one leaves it can be a little jarring.

This week, WILX News 10 First Alert Meteorologist Colton Cichoracki ended his run in Lansing. He's headed off to a new opportunity in another TV market. And while change is part of this business, it still gives you pause.

Colton’s Impact on Mid-Michigan Weather Coverage

Along with WILX's Darrin Rockcole, Andy Provenzano and Justin Bradford, Colton has been a steady presence on local forecasts for the last 4 years — guiding us through Michigan winters, summer storms, and everything in between. Even if you never shook his hand, you knew his cadence, his delivery, the way he walked you through what was coming next. That kind of consistency builds a connection, whether we realize it or not.

That's what's weird about it. These local TV personalities come into our homes every day and become part of our routine — even though the "relationship" is completely one-sided.

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Asked whether he had any parting words for Lansing, Colton said, "I'll miss this place very much and I have never felt so welcome. And thank you to everyone who has followed me and will continue to do so."

As Colton moves on, it's worth taking a moment to wish him well. New markets mean new challenges, new audiences, and new chapters. Landing that next step is never accidental. It's earned.

What’s Next for WILX Weather Team

As of now, we don't know who (if anyone) will be joining WILX's First Alert Weather Team in Colton's place.

Colton, thank you for being a familiar, reliable presence on our TV screens in Mid-Michigan the past 4 years. We wish you all the best, wherever the forecast takes you next!