Dick Albert, Longtime WCVB Weatherman, Dies at 73

BOSTON, MA — Dick Albert, the longtime weatherman for WCVB, died Friday of complications from pneumonia, the station announced during its 6 p.m. broadcast. He was 73. Albert told many in New England whether it was time to bust out an umbrella, bring some extra sunscreen, or ready the shovels for more than 30 years.

Albert, a Newton native, was beloved for decades in and around Boston. He was universally respected, standing out as one of the true professionals in a competitive news market.

Albert started at WCVB in 1978. He remained at Channel 5 for 31 years, through all the "No School" days and the heat waves, leaving in 2009. Here's a clip from Albert's last day at the station:

Albert won multiple regional Emmys and the prestigious Silver Circle Award for Lifetime Achievement by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2004. He was voted the second most popular weathercaster in the nation by "Television/Radio Age" in 1987.

Albert also had stints in Denver and San Francisco, and Albuquerque. Additionally, he was a U.S. Air Force meteorologist.

One of Albert's last tweets was in May, where he posted a photo with longtime meteorologist and friend Harvey Leonard.

"Just had a tremendous passion for weather, for people, for his family, and had a unique but genuine way of presenting the weather that all of us loved so much, and will always remember and will definitely miss," Leonard told t.

Many took to Twitter to mourn Albert's passing.

Screenshot courtesy of Twitter.

Materials from The Associated Press were used in this report.

Note: An earlier version of this story said Albert was 72.