Chief Meteorologist
Matt Leach is Chief Meteorologist of Northeast Indiana and Northwest Ohio's First Alert Weather Team. He has a master's degree from Purdue University and is a member of the National Weather Association.
Matt’s first forecasting opportunity began in mid 2009, where he provided detailed video and written forecasts in his hometown on the Kitsap Peninsula of western Washington State for one of the region’s largest newspaper publications.
In 2013, Matt was hired by Microsoft to write weather explainers for over 60 weather terms that now populated MSN’s “Weather 101” site.
In 2014, Matt became Fort Wayne's newest weekend meteorologist and weekday reporter for 21Alive. He produced creative stories in various counties across the area as part of 21Alive's "Life's Better Here" series and could be found going live at fairs and festivals throughout the region.
In 2016, Matt was promoted to the position of Chief Meteorologist where he currently presents the weather at 5, 5:30, 6, 7 & 11 pm. He can also be found leading team coverage live on television and social media when the weather turns severe.
Matt has won numerous awards, including three Emmys, a Regional Edward R. Murrow for Excellence in Innovation, Outstanding Weather Operation from the Associated Press, Favorite Local Television Personality from the Fort Wayne Newspapers' Reader's Choice Awards, and Best Weathercast from the Indiana Broadcaster's Association.
In 2019, Matt became an Adjunct Professor of Communication at Indiana Tech and in 2022 also started teaching graduate communication courses at Southern New Hampshire University online.
From growing up in the Pacific Northwest to living in Southern Africa, Matt has experienced wild temperature swings. He has seen the thermometer rise well over 110 degrees and fall below minus 40 degrees with wind chills surpassing 50 below.
When Matt isn't busy chasing storms and severe weather, he enjoys strength training, reading historical non-fiction, astrophotography, walking his dog, Gunther, and most importantly doing anything that gives him the opportunity to be with his best friend and spouse since 2015, Logan.
Education
Affiliations
Awards
Updated: 10 hours ago
|
By Matt Leach
There will likely be little heat relief at night
Updated: Jun. 13, 2024 at 8:38 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
It will feel like 100º+ much of next week
Updated: Jun. 12, 2024 at 5:58 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Highs will likely not hit records next week, but it will be unseasonably hot nonetheless
Updated: Jun. 11, 2024 at 3:39 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Heat ramps up by the end of the weekend
Updated: Jun. 10, 2024 at 3:46 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Severe weather is possible late Thursday
Updated: Jun. 7, 2024 at 5:55 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Temperatures build next week
Updated: Jun. 5, 2024 at 4:24 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Rain chances will be far and few in between after tonight!
Updated: Jun. 4, 2024 at 6:17 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Back to more spring-like temperatures by the end of the week
Updated: Jun. 3, 2024 at 5:23 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Comfortable weather will settle in for the end of the week
Updated: May. 24, 2024 at 4:45 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Saturday will be warm and sunny!
Updated: May. 23, 2024 at 4:05 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Temperatures will also be trending cooler over the next seven days
Updated: May. 22, 2024 at 4:34 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
The Memorial Day Weekend forecast still looks like a mixed bag of weather
Updated: May. 21, 2024 at 11:06 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Cooler weather will make a return for the rest of the week and into the holiday weekend
Updated: May. 20, 2024 at 5:06 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
There will be several storm chances over the next 48 hours.
Updated: May. 17, 2024 at 5:28 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Only an isolated shower or thunderstorm is expected over the next three days
Updated: May. 16, 2024 at 5:52 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Highs will be back into the 80s over the weekend
Updated: May. 14, 2024 at 4:16 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Highs will stay on the cooler side for now
Updated: May. 13, 2024 at 4:19 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Highs will struggle to hit 70º by midday!
Updated: May. 2, 2024 at 5:34 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Showers and thunderstorms will be an off-and-on theme for the next week!
Updated: May. 1, 2024 at 4:53 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Highs will start trending a bit cooler after Thursday
Updated: Apr. 30, 2024 at 3:47 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Rain will return before the weekend, however
Updated: Apr. 29, 2024 at 4:44 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Highs will reach the 80s before the end of the week!
Updated: Apr. 24, 2024 at 4:25 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Warmer days are ahead!
Updated: Apr. 23, 2024 at 4:18 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Warmer and windier conditions will arrive by the end of the week
Updated: Apr. 22, 2024 at 4:29 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Frost chances will also return by midweek
Updated: Apr. 19, 2024 at 4:33 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Highs likely won't return to the 70s until next weekend
Updated: Apr. 18, 2024 at 4:23 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
The severe weather risk is low
Updated: Apr. 17, 2024 at 3:57 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
The severe weather threat remains low Thursday night into Friday morning
Updated: Apr. 16, 2024 at 4:53 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Widespread severe weather is not expected
Updated: Apr. 15, 2024 at 4:51 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Flooding is not anticipated with this next round of rain
Updated: Apr. 12, 2024 at 4:45 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
At least temperatures will be warming up in a big way!
Updated: Apr. 9, 2024 at 4:44 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
The weekend looks dry for now with highs rising to around 70º again by Sunday
Updated: Apr. 5, 2024 at 4:19 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Eclipse Day Monday still looks dry, but the extent of any cloud cover remains in question
Updated: Apr. 4, 2024 at 4:07 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Highs will climb into the 50s over the weekend
Updated: Apr. 3, 2024 at 4:54 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Skies will brighten up by the end of the week
Updated: Apr. 2, 2024 at 4:11 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Winter weather is not going out without a fight
Updated: Apr. 1, 2024 at 3:19 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
The severe threat ends Tuesday evening and our attention will then turn to wind and snow showers Wednesday into Thursday
Updated: Mar. 29, 2024 at 4:47 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
The weekend will not be a washout, though some periods early next week certainly could be!
Updated: Mar. 28, 2024 at 4:55 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Temperatures will remain mild
Updated: Mar. 27, 2024 at 4:38 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Rain is still likely for at least a part of Easter Weekend
Updated: Mar. 26, 2024 at 3:53 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Conditions turn cooler and drier Wednesday
Updated: Mar. 25, 2024 at 3:04 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
We will dry out, but cool down by Wednesday
Updated: Mar. 22, 2024 at 5:27 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Showers and gusty conditions will move in early next week
Updated: Mar. 21, 2024 at 6:05 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
For the most part, high temperatures will stay cooler than normal through the weekend
Updated: Mar. 20, 2024 at 6:07 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Gusty conditions will return Saturday
Updated: Mar. 19, 2024 at 6:04 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
High temperatures will also be much colder
Updated: Mar. 18, 2024 at 6:13 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Temperatures will be much cooler this week compared to last!
Updated: Mar. 15, 2024 at 4:42 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Early next week will remind us it is technically still winter!
Updated: Mar. 14, 2024 at 4:19 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
A chillier, breezy, and sunny weekend is in store
Updated: Mar. 13, 2024 at 5:24 PM EDT
|
By Matt Leach
Severe weather is not expected
