EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — WPRI 12 announced Monday that 12 News Weekend Meteorologist T.J. Del Santo has been promoted to the station’s weekday newscast 12 News This Morning, effective immediately. Del Santo, a native Rhode Islander, joined WPRI 12 in 1997 and was most recently the station’s weekend morning meteorologist.
“I’ve been fortunate to have started my career in my home of southern New England,” says Del Santo. “It’s been an incredible opportunity to work alongside my mentor and friend Tony [Petrarca] as well as some of the most reliable and dependable meteorologists over the years here at WPRI 12. I know how important the weather is to our viewers, and I’m excited to help them start their weekday mornings.”
“For more than two decades, T.J. has been a valuable member of the Pinpoint Weather Team,” said Patrick Wholey, Vice President and General Manager of WPRI 12, FOX Providence, the CW Providence, and myRITV. “Our viewers can trust T.J. for the most reliable forecast in a region that’s known for its unpredictable weather. He’s got an impressive knowledge of southern New England’s constantly changing weather patterns, and there’s no one better for this job.”
“We are thrilled to have T.J. take on this new role. He’s local and has raised his family here in southern New England. He knows how important it is to be accurate and dependable,” 12 News Director Karen Rezendes said. “He’s certainly earned this well-deserved promotion and will continue to play a key role in keeping southern New Englanders prepared and safe.”
A native of East Providence, RI., T.J. is a graduate of Lyndon State College in Vermont. Prior to 12 News, Del Santo worked as a marine forecaster in Glens Falls, N.Y., and was a computer specialist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass. For nearly 26 years at WPRI 12, he has coverage hundreds of storms in southern New England. His documentary “State of the Bay” won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in Journalism. Del Santo is also an FAA-certified drone pilot and flies Sky Drone 12. When he’s not working, T.J. enjoys spending time with family, cooking, traveling, and cheering on the Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots.
