Elise Finch, CBS New York Meteorologist, Dead at 51

Elise Finch, a longtime and Emmy-winning meteorologist for CBS New York affiliate WCBS-TV, died Sunday. She was 51.

The station said in a statement that Finch died at a local hospital. The cause of her death has not been determined.

"Elise has been a friend and team member at WCBS for 16 years. Elise was a gifted and consummate professional who took great care with her work,” the station said in announcing her death. “She was also a wonderful ambassador in the community, including her hometown of Mount Vernon."

The statement continued: "Above all, Elise was a fiercely loving and devoted mother to her daughter Grace and wife to Graig Henriques, who is a photojournalist at WCBS.”

Finch joined WCBS-TV in 2007 as part of the station’s weekend meteorologist and later became part of the weekday morning news team with co-anchors Mary Calvi and Chris Wragge. In September, she joined Cindy Hsu on the 9 a.m. newscast.

Finch was most recently on the air at the station this past Friday.

“Her dedication to the job was truly evident every day, every major weather event Elise reported on–many in the elements,” reported Calvi, 54, in a broadcast tribute that aired Monday morning. ”Truly every day was a good day when we were with Elise, and we will miss her dearly.”

Prior to joining WCBS-TV, according to her station biography, Finch had worked as an anchor and reporter at various affiliates for CBS, FOX and ABC. She was also a meteorologist for NBC's Early Today Show, MSNBC and NBC Weather Plus.

Raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Finch earned a bachelor of science degree from Georgetown University, and received a master of science degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University, per her biography. She held a seal of approval from the American Meteorological Society.

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Tributes to the meteorologist on social media poured in from her CBS peers and former broadcast colleagues.

“My heart is broken. Our team will never be the same. No one matched musical wits better. I’ll miss you much,” wrote WCBS-TV morning co-anchor Wragge, 53.

“I am so devastated to hear of the passing of my friend and colleague @EliseFinch. She was the best. A caring soul,” commented Otis Livingston, WCBS-TV sports director.

“We were just speaking a few weeks ago about [her] beautiful daughter Grace and my new Grandson. My family’s thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends that loved her so much,” Livingston added.

Tony Aiello, a WCBS-TV reporter, tweeted: “Elise Finch loved music. The song of her life deserved many more verses. Her gifts were many, and so too the lives she touched. My deepest condolences to Graig and little Grace, her parents and sister, and all our CBS2 family.”

CBS News senior culture correspondent Anthony Mason, for his part, wrote: “Heartbroken to hear of the loss of the lovely Elise Finch. Elise had been a meteorologist at WCBS-TV since 2007 and was such a bright star on New York TV. Deepest condolences to her family & to the channel 2 family.”

“Shocked to hear the news of her passing. Elise was kind and always a pro,” remarked FOX Weather meteorologist Amy Freeze.

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WNBC-TV meteorologist Dave Price added that his "heart aches" hearing of the news. “To her husband, Graig & daughter, Grace — and to all our friends & colleagues at CBS New York, your extended family of NY area broadcasters is thinking of you tonight," he tweeted.

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