Don Slater is a veteran American meteorologist best known for his remarkable career with WAVY-TV 10 in Hampton Roads, Virginia. He joined the station in 1981 and spent more than four decades delivering weather forecasts and covering major storms and weather events across the region. Over the years, his experience and familiar presence made him a trusted name among local viewers. In 2022, he stepped away from his longtime position as chief meteorologist and transitioned into the role of Chief Meteorologist Emeritus. His continued association with WAVY has kept him connected to local television broadcasting and weather coverage. This article explores his career, age, net worth, salary, family, retirement, and current role at WAVY-TV.
Who Is Don Slater?
Don Slater is an American television meteorologist best known for his long career with WAVY-TV 10 in Hampton Roads, Virginia. He joined the station on August 1, 1981, and became one of the most recognizable weather personalities in the region. Before arriving at WAVY, he worked as a weathercaster for the Nebraska Television Network and also worked at KIHI-TV in Fargo, North Dakota.
Over the decades, his knowledge of Hampton Roads weather and his familiar on-air presence made him a trusted local forecaster. In 2019, he was recognized with the prestigious Silver Circle Award for his significant contribution to the broadcasting industry after more than 25 years in the field.
Age: How Old Is He?
The exact age of the veteran meteorologist has not been reliably confirmed by WAVY-TV or another strong primary source. Several biography websites publish different ages and birth dates, but these claims are inconsistent and should not be treated as confirmed facts.
Therefore, it is safer to say that his exact age and date of birth have not been publicly verified rather than publishing an unsupported number.
What Year Was He Born?
The year of his birth is not clearly established through reliable public sources. Some online biography pages claim a specific birth year, but those pages do not provide sufficient primary evidence to confirm it.
For an accurate biography, the best approach is to state that his birth year has not been publicly confirmed.
Meteorologist Career
The broadcasting career began before his arrival at WAVY-TV. He worked with the Nebraska Television Network and later served as a weathercaster at KIHI-TV in Fargo, North Dakota. He eventually moved to Hampton Roads, where he joined WAVY-TV on August 1, 1981.
His career at the station lasted for more than four decades. During that time, he covered hurricanes, snowstorms, thunderstorms and other major weather events affecting southeastern Virginia and the surrounding Hampton Roads region.
His longevity also gave him an unusual level of local forecasting experience. By the time he began transitioning away from the chief meteorologist position, he had spent roughly 40 years forecasting weather for the same television market.
Career at WAVY 10
Joining WAVY-TV in 1981 proved to be a major turning point in his professional life. He became the station’s primary weathercaster and eventually served as chief meteorologist.
His long tenure made him a familiar face to generations of viewers. A 2019 industry report noted that he had already spent 38 years at WAVY and described his Silver Circle Award as recognition of his major contribution to television broadcasting.
His career was also closely connected with the development of local weather coverage in Hampton Roads. His forecasting experience and familiarity with the area’s weather patterns helped establish him as one of the region’s best-known television meteorologists.
Why Is He Still on WAVY 10?
This is one of the most common questions about the longtime weathercaster.
The reason is that he did not simply disappear from WAVY after leaving his chief meteorologist position. In February 2022, the station announced that he was preparing for retirement after approximately 40 years at WAVY. He moved into the position of Chief Meteorologist Emeritus, while Jeff Edmondson became the station’s chief meteorologist.
Importantly, his association with the station has continued. Recent 2026 WAVY weather updates identify him as Chief Meteorologist Emeritus, showing that he still contributes weather forecasts despite no longer holding the regular chief meteorologist position.
So, the simplest answer is: he retired from his longtime chief meteorologist role but continued working with WAVY in an emeritus capacity.
Retirement and New Role
After more than four decades at the station, the transition toward retirement began in 2022. Reports at the time said that he would continue forecasting for a period while moving into his new emeritus role.
The emeritus position allowed the station to retain his experience while giving him a reduced role compared with his previous responsibilities as chief meteorologist.
His continued presence also reflects the value of his extensive experience with Hampton Roads weather.
Family and Personal Life
The meteorologist has generally kept his personal life away from the spotlight. Reliable public sources do not provide enough verified information about his parents, siblings or other family members to confidently publish detailed claims.
For that reason, information about his family should be handled carefully. Many biography websites repeat personal details without citing strong sources, so those claims should not automatically be considered factual.
His professional life, rather than his private family life, has remained the main focus of his public profile.
Net Worth
An exact net worth has not been publicly confirmed by WAVY-TV or by a reliable financial source.
Some biography websites publish estimates, but the figures vary considerably. One website, for example, lists an estimated net worth of $650,000, while other sites provide different figures. These estimates are not supported by publicly available financial records.
Therefore, it is more accurate to describe any online net-worth figure as an unverified estimate rather than a confirmed amount.
His long broadcasting career and decades with a major local television station would naturally have contributed to his professional earnings, but his actual wealth remains private.
Salary
His exact salary has also not been publicly disclosed.
Online sources sometimes provide estimated annual salaries, but these figures should not be presented as confirmed information because there is no publicly available WAVY employment contract establishing his current compensation. One older biography site gives a broad salary estimate, but it does not provide reliable evidence for the figure.
His current compensation may also differ from what he earned when he served as chief meteorologist because his role changed after the 2022 transition.
Education
Several online biography sources report that he studied at Morehead State University and Kearney State College and later attended institutions including Mississippi State University, the University of Oregon and Old Dominion University.
However, the publicly available sources do not consistently provide a complete, verified academic history, including specific degrees and graduation dates. Therefore, it is better to describe these institutions as schools he reportedly attended rather than claim specific degrees unless a stronger source confirms them.
His additional meteorological training and experience ultimately supported a career focused on television weather forecasting.
Awards and Recognition
One of the notable achievements of his broadcasting career was receiving the Silver Circle Award in 2019.
The award is presented by the regional chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the television industry over an extended period. At the time, he had been with WAVY for 38 years.
The recognition reflected his unusually long career in Hampton Roads television and his contribution to local broadcasting.
Is There a Wikipedia Page?
There does not appear to be a well-established dedicated Wikipedia biography for the WAVY-TV meteorologist that can be used as a reliable source for his personal details.
Because of this, readers searching for a “Don Slater Wikipedia” page may find third-party biography websites instead. Those pages should be treated cautiously, particularly when they provide exact information about his age, birth date, salary or net worth without citing primary sources.
For accurate career information, WAVY-related material and established media sources are more useful.
Where Is He Now?
As of 2026, he remains associated with WAVY-TV as Chief Meteorologist Emeritus. Recent WAVY weather updates published in August 2026 identify him in that role while presenting forecasts for the Hampton Roads viewing area.
This means that although he is no longer the station’s regular chief meteorologist, he has not completely left the station’s weather operation.
His continued appearances also explain why viewers may still see him on WAVY weather coverage years after his retirement announcement.
Social Media and Public Presence
The meteorologist has maintained a public presence through social media and local television. However, because unofficial accounts can sometimes be confused with genuine profiles, readers should verify that an account is actually connected to him before treating it as official.
His strongest public presence remains his association with WAVY-TV and Hampton Roads weather coverage.
Quick Fact
| Quick Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Don Slater |
| Profession | Meteorologist / Television Weathercaster |
| Known For | WAVY-TV 10 |
| Career Start at WAVY | August 1, 1981 |
| Former Position | Chief Meteorologist |
| Current Role | Chief Meteorologist Emeritus |
| Retirement Transition | 2022 |
| Birth Date | Reported as October 16, 1954; not independently confirmed |
| Age | 71 years old in 2026, if the reported birth date is accurate |
| Birthplace | Not reliably confirmed |
| Net Worth | Not publicly confirmed; online estimates vary |
| Salary | Not publicly disclosed |
| Education | Reported attendance at several universities; exact degree details should be treated cautiously |
| Awards | Silver Circle Award (2019) |
| Years at WAVY | More than 40 years |
| Spouse | Not reliably confirmed publicly |
| Children | Not reliably confirmed publicly |
| Wikipedia | No well-established dedicated biography found |
Conclusion
The longtime WAVY weathercaster has built an impressive career spanning more than four decades. Since joining the station in 1981, he has become a familiar and trusted voice for Hampton Roads viewers. His 2022 transition did not mean an immediate end to his television work; instead, he moved into the role of Chief Meteorologist Emeritus. Recent 2026 forecasts show that he continues to contribute to WAVY’s weather coverage.
While exact details such as his birth year, current salary and net worth remain unverified, his professional legacy is much clearer: decades of local forecasting, a Silver Circle Award and a lasting connection with WAVY-TV.
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FAQs
How old is Don Slater?
Don Slater was reportedly born on October 16, 1954, which would make him 71 years old in 2026. However, his birth date is not confirmed by a primary source.
What is Don Slater’s net worth?
His exact net worth has not been publicly confirmed. Online estimates place it around $1 million–$5 million, but these figures should be treated as estimates.
How old is Don C?
If you mean Don C, the Chicago fashion designer, he was born in 1976, making him about 50 years old in 2026.
What is Don C’s real name?
Don C’s real name is Don Crawley. He is an American luxury streetwear designer and the founder of Just Don.
How old is Doni?
If you mean Doni, the Russian rapper, he was born December 18, 1985, making him 40 years old in 2026.
