Today's forecast: a chance of sad showers for TMJ4 viewers as regular meteorologist Brian Gotter announced he will retire from television this fall.

"The crazy TV schedules, working late for storm coverage, holidays and weekends … you know about all this when you start, but it starts to wear on you over the years," Gotter writes in a Facebook post announcing his retirement. "My family is everything to me, and missing big family events and the kids school stuff and games is not what I want to do anymore. Ali was 1 when we moved to Milwaukee and now she is going to be a senior, and Austin starts middle school. It goes by too fast and I have missed so much.

"With all that said, I can’t thank TMJ4 enough for the past 16 years. They brought me back home and gave my family a great life. For that I am forever grateful. To think we watched TMJ4 when we lived in Fond du Lac … who knew I would be working there years later. As a kid, I always told my parents I would live in Milwaukee … I just loved the city and love it even more now that I have spent 16 years here."

Gotter steps away from TV after an impressive 26-year career, starting with stops in Oklahoma, Wausau, Jacksonville and Minneapolis before landing in Milwaukee and at TMJ4 in 2006. At 16 years, TMJ4 marks his longest tenured television spot – and now it is his last. 

"Thank you for trusting me and allowing me into your homes every day and to be part of your family," Gotter writes. "That is a huge privilege. I might not be on your TV anymore , but I will still see you around town. I am not going anywhere."

Indeed, while Gotter's time on TMJ4 and television is complete, his work isn't. After his official retirement this fall, Gotter will take a full-time position at the MACC (Midwest Athletes Against Child Cancer) Fund – what he calls in his post "a once in a lifetime opportunity ... a dream job." Gotter previously held a position on the MACC Fund's Board of Directors and as Chair, before stepping down to take on this new role at the organization.

"I have been involved with them since I started at TMJ, and our relationship has grown from me emceeing events, to having my own events, to being on the Board," Gotter writes. "Every time I see Jon McGlocklin and President Becky Pinter I tell them I want to do more, and here we are … and we are just getting started.

"To all the kids and families I have met over the years … thank you for inspiring me to do more. Thank you for making this my passion and drive. We are going to raise a lot of money so that researchers can find a cure for this terrible disease very soon so other kids and families don’t have to suffer."

Gotter and his forecasts aren't gone yet though. As of writing, no specific date is set for his official final broadcast, but Gotter is expected to stay on with TMJ4 until the fall – so stay tuned for more updates. And to learn more about Gotter's impressive career, check out our Milwaukee Talks with the meteorologist mainstay from 2014. 

Last of all, congrats to Brian Gotter on his years of great work on TV, cheers to his well-earned retirement and here's to him going out with a lot of sunny forecasts this summer and fall.