JONESBORO, Ark. — After more than two decades of delivering reliable forecasts to Northeast Arkansas, Chief Meteorologist Ryan Vaughan has announced his departure from KAIT. Vaughan, who has been a familiar face on the station since 2001, will step away from his role at the end of the year.
During his tenure, Vaughan provided critical weather coverage, particularly during life-threatening storms. His guidance helped steer the community through events such as the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak, the 2009 ice storm, and tornadoes and floods in 2011, 2014, 2017, and March 2020. Most recently, he led coverage of the devastating tornadoes in the spring of 2025.
Before joining KAIT, Vaughan worked briefly at KAIT's sister station, WSFA, in Montgomery, Alabama, where he covered significant weather events, including Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
In an announcement, Vaughan reflected on his decision to leave, stating, “After a lot of prayer and talks with my family, it became more and more apparent that God has me moving in a new direction. While I do not currently know the next chapter, I’m confident in God’s plan and it’s exciting.”
Beyond his work in meteorology, Vaughan has been an active member of the community, serving as a volunteer with the Western Greene County Fire Department and participating in organizations such as Always Jonesboro and the Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Hatton Weeks, KAIT's Vice President and General Manager, praised Vaughan’s contributions, saying, “There is no other meteorologist who can match Ryan’s dedication. When the skies turned stormy, Ryan’s only concern was keeping us safe. And his ability to use the best weather technology in our industry made him a mentor to many other meteorologists in the country.”
Vaughan’s last day at KAIT will be Dec. 29.