Breaking: CBS Meteorologist Elise Finch Dies at 51

Elise Finch, an Emmy-winning meteorologist with WCBS in New York for 16 years, has died, the TV station announced Sunday. She was 51.

Finch died at a local hospital; the cause of her death has not been determined, according to WCBS’s statement.

“Elise has been a friend and team member at WCBS for 16 years,” the station said in announcing her death. “Elise was a gifted and consummate professional who took great care with her work. She was also a wonderful ambassador in the community, including her hometown of Mount Vernon. Above all, Elise was a fiercely loving and devoted mother to her daughter Grace and wife to Graig Henriques, who is a photojournalist at WCBS.”

Colleagues remembered Finch, who last appeared on WCBS’s newscast on Friday, July 14, as a beloved coworker and friend. “Elise was fiercely loyal to those she loved, a straight shooter, a consummate professional, and made me laugh until I cried,” Jessica Moore, weekend evening anchor on WCBS, posted on Twitter. “But above all she was completely devoted to her family, especially her daughter Grace. I love you so much, my friend. Heaven now has an angel like no other.”

WCBS anchor Chris Wragge tweeted, “My heart is broken. Our team will never be the same. No one matched musical wits better. I’ll miss you much.”

Finch joined the CBS New York weather team in April 2007. Previously she was at NBC where she served as a meteorologist for the “Early Today Show,” MSNBC and NBC Weather Plus. Prior to NBC, Finch was the weekend weather anchor at the CBS affiliate in Phoenix, Ariz., and before that, she was an anchor and reporter at the CBS and Fox affiliates in Youngstown, Ohio, and the ABC affiliate in Austin, Minn. Finch started her career in TV behind the scenes at E! Entertainment Television, where she served as a production coordinator for special projects and live events.

Elise Dione Finch Henriques was raised in Mount Vernon, N.Y, and graduated from Mount Vernon High School. She earned a bachelor of science degree from Georgetown University, where she received one of the prestigious President’s Awards. She went on to earn a master of science degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University. Finch completed the broadcast meteorology program at Mississippi State University and holds the seal of approval from the American Meteorological Society.