John Farley, NBC Bay Area’s chief meteorologist, announced to viewers last night that he was leaving the station. He did not say where he was going or why he was leaving. His announcement surprised viewers, many of whom left comments on the NBC Bay Area Web site.

Farley joined KNTV in March 1996 as the morning meteorologist and moved to evenings in September 1998. He was the weather anchor at 5, 6 and 11. According to NBC Bay Area’s Web site, he holds a master’s degree in meteorology from San Jose State University. Prior to Channel 11, he was a weather producer at KRON. His bio says he worked on a project aimed at developing short-term fog forecasts for San Francisco International Airport, which earned an award from the FAA. (Photo credit: NBC Bay Area Web site)

UPDATE, MARCH 31:Farley was let go in a cost-cutting move, the Merc’s Sal Pizarro reports today. “He’s a class act and I hope there’s better weather ahead for him,” Pizarro writes.