WINK News in Southwest Florida has gone through a whirlwind lately, especially in the weather department. Since the start of 2026, three meteorologists have walked out the door, and people are noticing.
Let’s start with Matt Devitt. After a decade as Chief Meteorologist, the station fired him in January 2026. The news hit hard. Viewers flooded social media with reactions, and the details only fueled the fire. Reports blamed contract violations tied to off-air behavior and heated arguments about work breaks. Toss in the sudden vanishing of Devitt’s Facebook page, later restored by the Florida State Attorney General, and you get why fans are still talking about it.
Next up: Nikki Sheaks. She left that same month, taking a new job in Palm Beach. No controversy, just a clean break.
Then there’s Greg Rule. He’d been with WINK News since January 2020 and announced his departure on Facebook in mid-February 2026. Rule made it clear, he wasn’t fired. This was his choice. His last day was February 20, and he left on good terms, thanking viewers, coworkers, and the “WINK Weather Watchers.” Still, his exit felt like another blow, given everything going on.
Three meteorologists are gone in just two months. It’s left the weather team looking pretty thin and viewers frustrated. People want familiar, trusted faces forecasting their weather. Right now, WINK News has some rebuilding to do.
