Boston 25 News promotes longtime morning forecaster Shiri Spear to chief meteorologist after Kevin Lemanowicz exit

Leadership change in Boston 25’s weather department follows chief meteorologist’s February departure

Boston 25 News has promoted meteorologist Shiri Spear to chief meteorologist, elevating a familiar presence from the station’s morning broadcasts into the top role in its weather operation. The move comes after Kevin Lemanowicz ended his three-decade run at the station in late February.

Lemanowicz, who had been the station’s chief meteorologist since its news launch in 1996, signed off for the final time on February 27, 2026. During his tenure, he became closely associated with the station’s coverage of major regional weather events, including significant winter storms and high-impact flooding episodes.

Shiri Spear’s background and role at the station

Spear joined WFXT in November 2012 and has been a core member of the Boston 25 Morning News team. A New England native raised in Hollis, New Hampshire, she holds a master’s degree in Atmospheric and Environmental Science from UMass Lowell and has worked in broadcast meteorology since 2007, including positions in western Massachusetts and Miami before arriving in Boston.

Her professional credentials include the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) designation from the American Meteorological Society, awarded in 2012. In addition to on-air forecasting, Spear has been involved in broader science communication, including academic work focused on helping students translate technical science topics for general audiences.

What the chief meteorologist job typically entails

In local television newsrooms, the chief meteorologist is generally responsible for setting editorial and operational standards for weather coverage, coordinating forecasting approaches across broadcasts and digital platforms, and providing leadership during high-impact weather. The position often involves close coordination with newsroom leadership during breaking news and severe-weather coverage, including updates that affect public safety decisions such as school operations, travel, and emergency preparedness.

• Overseeing forecasting strategy and internal coordination across shifts
• Leading coverage during severe weather and high-audience events
• Representing the station in community outreach and science education
• Supporting expansion of digital weather coverage and explainers

Timing and continuity for viewers

The promotion follows a period of transition at Boston 25 News as the station marked Lemanowicz’s departure and began reshaping its weather leadership. Spear’s elevation positions a long-tenured, Boston-based forecaster to lead coverage heading into spring and the next cycle of New England’s high-variability seasons, from late-season snow risk through severe thunderstorms and summer heat.

With a leadership change at the top of the weather team, Boston 25 is entering a new chapter while keeping a well-known on-air meteorologist in a central role.

No additional staffing details were confirmed in the station’s public communications at the time of publication.