Who Is Rob Marciano? 9 Facts About The Former GMA Meteorologist - The List (2024)

Entertainment

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ByJessie Lamb/May 12, 2024 5:38 pm EST

When meteorologist Rob Marciano joined ABC's "Good Morning America" in 2014, the fanfare was instantaneous. Marciano quickly became a staple on the program, faithfully dishing out weather predictions and providing live coverage of major storms. Thanks to his talent and likeability, Marciano evolved into one of the biggest celebrities in broadcasting. But that all changed in April of 2024 when the charismatic weatherman was let go from ABC.

Journalist Dylan Byer first reported the news on X (formerly Twitter), writing, "Rob Marciano, the ABC News & Good Morning America meteorologist, has been fired from the network, per sources familiar." Byer added that the newsman was sacked after several ABC colleagues complained about his behavior at work.

As of this writing, Marciano and ABC have remained tight-lipped about the details of his dismissal. However, a handful ofdetails have emerged since Marciano was fired from "GMA",and the information seems to corroborate Byers' statement. While we wait for Marciano to break his silence on the matter, we can only speculate about what the future may hold for the spurned weatherman. At this point, one thing is for sure: Marciano's dramatic downfall has sparked copious interest in the media personality. That said, here's an introduction to Rob Marciano, the man generating a storm of headlines right now.

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Growing up, Rob Marciano always had an eye on the sky. He was raised in Glennville, Connecticut, where the summers are sticky and the winters are icy. Thanks to the diverse climate of his hometown, Marciano learned to appreciate the wonders of Mother Nature."My favorite kind of weather to report on is snow," the weatherman told StormHour in 2024. "I grew up in the Northeast and absolutely love snow. I love the sight, the feel, even the smell of snow." Not only did Marciano aspire to be a meteorologist, but — as the star revealed in a 2023 Instagram post– he always dreamed of working for the ABC network.

As a self-described "weather fanatic," Marciano decided to turn his passion into a full-fledged career. After graduating high school, he attended Cornell University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in meteorology in 1991. A few years later, he was awarded the American Meteorological Society Seal of Approval.

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Prior to becoming a celebrity forecaster, 55-year-old Rob Marciano took a detour that put him on an unexpected career path. When the aspiring weatherman graduated from college in the early '90s, he was young and inexperienced, which dampened his employment outlook. "I couldn't get a TV job," the meteorologist confessed to StormHour in 2024. "I looked like I was 12 years old and very much sucked at doing TV." Fortunately, an acquaintance offered him a job as a stock trader on Wall Street. While it wasn't his first choice for a career, Marciano was nonetheless eager to enter the workforce — plus, he turned out to be a savvy stock-trader. Six months into the job, Marciano became licensed in the stock-trading industry.

After three years in the Big Apple, Marciano finally got the call he'd been waiting for: He was offered a full-time meteorologist position at a small news station in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Marciano recalled, "It was a huge pay cut, but I made the decision to follow my true passion... weather. I quit my Wall Street job, drove south, and never looked backed."

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In Lake Charles, Rob Marciano worked as the morning meteorologist for the KPLC 7 News Station. His talent and charm captured a loyal fan base — and soon, he was promoted to chief meteorologist in 1994. For the next three years, Marciano dutifully tracked torrential rains, blistering warm fronts, and everything in between. Then, in 1997, he was summoned to Portland, Oregon where he became the head meteorologist at KATU-TV. At his new job, Marciano honed his forecasts on Portland's famously drizzly skies. The gig lasted for six years until Marciano got the chance to take his meteorology skills to the national stage.

In 2003, the weather virtuoso left KATU-TV to join CNN as a news and weather anchor. The switch paid off: During his CNN tenure, Marciano gained prestige for his outstanding weather segments. In particular, his coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the BP Oil disaster in 2010 earned him the esteemed Peabody media award.

Marciano returned to Portland in April 2017 to cover the highly-anticipated total solar eclipse. By that time, he was a "Good Morning America” all-star, but he looked back fondly on his time in Oregon. "I love the Pacific Northwest," Marciano told Oregon Live, "so any excuse to get back there, especially in summer, is something I don't want to pass up."

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Rob Marciano made another career pivot in 2013. This time, he broke from his meteorology roots and became an anchor at "Entertainment Tonight." In January 2013, the broadcaster opened up to TV Guideabout what it was like to go from observing the skies to eyeing celebs on the red carpet. "Weathermen can be versatile and dive into pop culture and entertainment more [easily] than a political journalist," he told the publication. "Weather, sports and entertainment, those are topics that are safe conversation." When asked if he would miss covering the weather, Marciano didn't have to think twice about his answer. "I know I'm going to miss it," he confirmed. "I'll salivate every time a storm spins up. Weather will go from being a profession to being a hobby and something I do every day on my own time."

During his "ET" tenure, Marciano interviewed superstars like Mel Gibson and Jennifer Lopez. He also dug into the career and transformation of pop star Katy Perry during a special called "The Katy Perry Experience."But it wasn't long before Marciano felt the urge to leave "ET." "I didn't even make it two years before the weather bug snipped me back," he told the hosts of "Storm Front Freaks" podcast in 2020. "It was a job I couldn't say no to. [...] ['Entertainment Tonight'] was a wild ride. And before my deal wasn't even up there, ABC came calling, and I've always wanted to work at ABC."

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In 2014, Rob Marciano parted ways with "Entertainment Tonight" to start a new chapter with the ABC network. This time, he joined the iconic news broadcast "Good Morning America" as a weekend meteorologist. Marciano was brought in to replace meteorologist Ginger Zee, who had been promoted to the show's weekday edition. Marciano quickly became a network darling, and in addition to his weekend post, he also became senior meteorologist on ABC's "World News Tonight."

As an ABC weather anchor, Marciano's portfolio encompassed all kinds of weather conditions. The veteran meteorologist reported live during hurricanes, wildfires, blizzards, and more — he's even gotten up-close-and-personal with an erupting volcano. In his interview with StormHour, Marciano reflected on some of his career highlights. "I've had a few scary moments, and just as many amazingly spiritual weather-related experiences," he told the publication. The weatherman revealed that his most memorable weather moment came in 2008 when he found himself in the eye of Hurricane Ike. "After the ferocious wall of wind and flying debris came the eerie silence of the eye," he mused. "The palm fronds hanging motionless in the complete calm, bugs and birds flying around dazed and confused, with the stars peering down on me... so wild."

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If there's one thing you should know about Rob Marciano, it's that he's a doting family man. The weather expert became a first-time parent in 2012 with the birth of his daughter, Madelynn Marciano. Five years later, the anchorman and his then-wife, Eryn Marciano, welcomed their son, Mason Marciano. On social media, Marciano shares glimpses of his precious relationship with the youngsters. The hands-on dad enjoys posting pictures of their family bonding moments, which include activities like traveling, skiing, and camping.

In November 2023, Marciano shared a sweetInstagrampostabout his daughter Madelynn, calling her, "my sweet, silly, creative girl." In honor of his son Mason's birthday that same year, the proud dadwrote, "This now 5 year old warms the world of everyone within his reach and I'm unspeakably grateful to be his daddy."

In late 2023, Marciano stepped back from his "Good Morning America" duties to focus on fatherhood. The weather guru announced his newly-slimmed down schedule in an Instagram post, revealing that he'd be taking weekends off for the foreseeable future. "I'll continue doing what I'm doing, contributing across all ABC shows and platforms Mon-Fri, while getting more quality time with my kiddos on the weekends," the weatherman wrote. "My thanks to the bosses who listened and made this work-life balance possible."

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For most of his career, Rob Marciano shared the spotlight with his wife, real estate agent Eryn Marciano. The pair had been hitched since 2010 and appeared to be living the dream. However, in 2021, Eryn filed for divorce, putting the kibosh on their 10-year marriage. Marciano addressed the situation exclusively to People, stating, "The last couple of years have been very difficult. I didn't want this and tried to save the marriage, but we are sadly divorcing. My focus now is on my kids."

Despite their unfortunate separation, the pair have seemingly kept things amicable for their kids. In 2022, Rob, Eryn, and their two children jetted off to Walt Disney World for a family vacation. Marciano captured the outing in an Instagram post, conveying that it was all smiles and good vibes between the exes.

But beyond the rose-colored Instagram filters, Rob's divorce may have taken a bigger toll than he initially let on. According to sources who spoke with Page Six, the weatherman's behavior spiraled in the wake of his divorce, creating major problems at work. The insider allegedly claimed, "There were times when [Rob] was very cranky and angry ... unsavory behavior on his part." Another source told Page Six that Rob faced disciplinary action for behaving improperly on the job."He made people feel uncomfortable," stated the insider. "There was a period where there were some issues, a number of alarming events."

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While his personal life was reportedly in freefall, Rob Marciano's professional life became equally turbulent. In May 2024, the New York Post reported that Marciano had a bitter rivalry with his ABC's head meteorologist, Ginger Zee. Although the pair worked closely together on the show, it wasn't a harmonious partnership. The source claimed that there was a constant power struggle between the co-stars, with Marciano's "hot temper" and Zee's "nasty" attitude creating a tense environment on set.

But Zee wasn't the only ABC employee that Marciano had conflicts with, the Daily Beast reported. Allegedly, Marciano was already in hot water over inappropriate comments that he made to colleagues regarding his divorce. Page Six claimed that Marciano's unhinged behavior got him banned from working on the set of "GMA" for nearly a year.During his banishment, Marciano had to film his segments out in the field or in a different studio than his colleagues.

Despite the allegations against him, some of Marciano's ABC cohorts have defended him. "He was hard-working and kind to everyone," a source told People in 2024. "So many people in news can be cut-throat, or creepy, or generally unpleasant, but Rob is not one of them. He's the definition of a standup guy."

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By 2024, the murmurs about Rob Marciano's unsavory workplace behavior rose to a fever pitch — and in April of the same year, he was let go from the network. In May of 2024, the Daily Beast offered some insights into what may have led to Marciano's undoing. Insiders told the publication that Marciano was canned after a "heated screaming match" with an ABC producer. The sources also claimed that Marciano's co-star, Ginger Zee, was the one who reported the incident to network bigwigs, which resulted in Marciano's firing. According to the unnamed tipsters, the incident "was the last straw" after a series of complaints about the disgraced weatherconnoisseur.

Of course, Marciano isn't the only "GMA" anchor to be plagued by scandal. Fans may remember that in 2022,former "GMA" anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach left ABCafter news of their affair went public. On their podcast, "Amy & T.J.," the pair weighed in on the Marciano drama."He is one of the best guys I've ever seen in the field covering weather — he is just good," Holmes remarked. In light of the media attention on Marciano, Robach stated, "It's not our place and we would never make it our place to comment specifically on any of the details. But we do know what it's like to have those headlines to be the subject of clickbait, and that's a tough position for anyone to be going through — especially someone who is a father of two."