If you’ve lived in Central Ohio for more than a few months, you know that the local news lineup feels a bit like family. You get used to seeing the same faces while you're drinking your morning coffee or winding down after a long shift. So, when a staple like Clay Gordon suddenly isn't on the 10TV (WBNS) weather map, people notice. Fast.
The question of whether Clay Gordon left 10TV started circulating among viewers who realized the familiar meteorologist was no longer delivering the 7-day forecast on the weekends. It’s one of those things where you think, "Maybe he's just on vacation?" But then a week turns into a month.
Honestly, the local TV business is brutal and often incredibly quiet when it comes to departures.
The Reality of Clay Gordon’s Departure from 10TV
Let’s clear the air immediately. Yes, Clay Gordon did leave 10TV.
It wasn't some dramatic, live-on-air blowout. That almost never happens in the Columbus market. Instead, it was one of those transitions that happens behind the scenes as contracts expire or new opportunities arise. Gordon joined the WBNS 10TV weather team back in 2021, coming in with a solid background from places like WTVH in Syracuse and stations in West Virginia. He was primarily the weekend morning meteorologist, a slot that requires a weird sleep schedule but builds a very loyal audience of early risers.
He left the station in the latter half of 2023.
Why do people still search for this? Because 10TV, like many Tegna-owned stations, has seen a lot of turnover lately. When you lose anchors like Kristyn Hartman or see shifts in the weather department with mainstays like Chris Bradley (who passed away) or Ashlee Baracy, the audience gets protective. We want to know where "our" people went.
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Where is Clay Gordon now?
He didn't go to a rival station in town like NBC4 or ABC6.
Clay actually made a pivot that a lot of broadcast journalists are making these days. He moved into the private sector. If you check his professional updates, he transitioned into a role as a Project Manager at Breezeline.
It’s a massive jump. Going from analyzing Doppler radar and worrying about lake-effect snow to managing high-level telecommunications projects is a pivot that catches people off guard. But when you think about it, meteorologists are essentially data scientists who have to communicate complex information under high pressure. That translates pretty well to project management.
He’s still based in the Columbus, Ohio area. He didn't flee to a warmer climate or a bigger TV market like Chicago or New York. He just stepped away from the green screen.
Why Local News Personalities Leave (And Why We Care So Much)
TV news is a grind.
Imagine waking up at 2:00 AM every Saturday and Sunday to be high-energy and "on" for a camera while the rest of the city is sleeping. Do that for a few years, and a 9-to-5 office job starts looking like a Caribbean vacation.
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The Contract Game
In Columbus, most on-air talent signs two or three-year contracts. When those contracts end, there's a "re-up" period. If the station wants to go in a different direction—maybe they want a different "vibe" or they're cutting the budget—they might not offer a new deal. Or, more commonly, the talent realizes they can make 30% more money in public relations or corporate communications without having to work holidays.
10TV has been through the ringer with staffing. You’ve seen it.
- Long-time veterans retiring.
- Younger reporters moving to Top 10 markets.
- The shift toward "multi-skilled journalists" who have to shoot and edit their own stuff.
Clay Gordon was part of a specific era at WBNS where the station was trying to stabilize after some heavy losses. He was dependable. He was calm. He didn't lean into the "weather fear-mongering" that some other stations (we won't name names) tend to do when a half-inch of snow is predicted.
The Audience Connection
We feel a parasocial relationship with these folks. You’ve seen Clay Gordon in your living room while you’re in your pajamas. You trust him to tell you if your kid's soccer game is going to be rained out. When that person disappears without a "Final Broadcast" tribute video, it feels like being ghosted.
The truth is that unless you are a 30-year veteran like Jerry Revish, most stations don't give you a big send-off. They just update the website bio page, remove the headshot, and move on to the next hire. It's cold, but it’s the business.
Comparing the Current 10TV Weather Team
Since the time Clay Gordon left 10TV, the weather office has looked a bit different. You still have the heavy hitters, but the weekend slots have been a rotating door of familiar and new faces.
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Ross Ellet and Ashlee Baracy have remained the anchors of that department, providing the stability the station desperately needs. When someone like Gordon leaves, it puts a lot of pressure on the remaining team to cover those early morning weekend shifts. You might have noticed more "freelance" or "per diem" meteorologists popping up, or reporters doing weather hits.
It makes you appreciate the consistency Gordon brought. He had a specific way of explaining the "why" behind the weather—atmospheric pressure, jet stream shifts—rather than just reading the numbers off the screen.
What This Means for Your News Habit
If you’re wondering if you should stay tuned to 10TV or switch, it really comes down to what you value.
If you liked Clay Gordon's style, you might find the current rotation a bit jarring. However, WBNS still pours more money into their radar tech than almost anyone else in the region. They have the "Live Doppler 10" branding for a reason; they own the hardware.
The departure of a single meteorologist usually doesn't change the accuracy of the forecast, but it definitely changes the "feel" of the broadcast.
What to do if you miss his forecasts
- Follow his socials: Clay is still active on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. He occasionally posts about local happenings, though it’s less about cold fronts and more about his new professional life.
- Check the Breezeline updates: Since he's in the tech and telecom space now, he’s still contributing to the Columbus infrastructure, just in a way that doesn't involve a microphone.
- Explore the 10TV App: They’ve updated their digital interface to make the "human" element less central, focusing more on automated local data.
It is always a bummer when a favorite TV personality moves on. We saw it with Cabot Rea, we saw it with Angela Pace, and we’re seeing it with the mid-level talent like Gordon who keep the gears turning on the weekends. But life goes on, and in the case of Clay Gordon, it seems he’s found a path that offers a bit more balance than the 2:00 AM wake-up calls allowed.
Next time you see a new face on the Saturday morning news, just remember that the person who was there before probably didn't get "fired" or leave in a huff—they likely just traded their makeup and studio lights for a desk and a normal weekend.
Actionable Insight: If you're looking for the most consistent local weather updates in the wake of staff changes, set your weather app specifically to "Columbus, OH" rather than relying on general "Location Services." This ensures you're getting the data fed from the local NWS office in Wilmington, which is what guys like Clay Gordon used to synthesize for you. This gives you the raw data while you get used to the new on-air personalities at 10TV.