Longtime FOX 5 meteorologist Sue Palka is retiring after nearly four decades in the business. On air Wednesday night, Palka announced that she will soon be “stepping back from her weather duties” at the station. “This is something I’ve been planning to do for a while, but it’s been harder to let go than I anticipated,” Palka said. She also spoke about her desire to spend more time with her family. Palka began forecasting the weather at the station in late 1985 — at a time when one of the anchors of the station’s single 10 p.m. newscast was Maury Povich and the use of computer graphics had only just begun.

WE LOVE YOU & WILL MISS YOU! ❤❤❤ What is your favorite Sue Palka moment from her 36 plus years at FOX 5? https://t.co/DoEjKE3FPW @suepalkafox5dc #GoodDayDC pic.twitter.com/yi0EtdeD2A

— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) January 13, 2022

She said her last day will be March 23. But, she’s not disappearing entirely. Palka said later this year, she’ll start doing feature reporting for the station and continue to make regular live appearances. “I’m so grateful to our loyal FOX 5 viewers and our managers and staff here at the station who have always stuck by me and allowed me to build a career and a life I never dreamed of in the Nation’s Capital,” she said. Palka has won six Emmy Awards for weather forecasting during her time at FOX 5.