Meteorologist Julie Broughton is departing Central Florida News 13 later this month.

"She is leaving to pursue other opportunities," said Robin Smythe, general manager of the cable news channel. "We're sorry to see her go. She's played an important role in establishing Weather on the 1's."

Smythe said Broughton's last day will probably be April 22.

Broughton could not be reached for comment.

Local stations devoted extensive coverage to bad weather Tuesday afternoon. They gave their weather equipment an impressive workout. And they warned that they would step in with weather bulletins when warranted Tuesday night.

"This is truly just the beginning of a very long night," chief meteorologist Tom Sorrells of WKMG-Channel 6 said in the 5 p.m. newscast. "We're going to be here all night as the big system rolls in."

At 5:30 p.m., Sorrells warned that everyone in Central Florida would need to be vigilant. That warning cropped up repeatedly on other stations as the region remained under a tornado watch until 11 p.m. The stations were serving their highest goal: public service.

In starting the 6 p.m. news, anchor Wendy Chioji said, "This storm system -- we're going to be worried about it all night long. It seems like it's just been hanging around for hours."

Television is a visual medium, and local stations provided staggering images Wednesday morning of the 50-vehicle pileup on I-4 in Polk County.

Which channel do you think had the best images? I kept returning to WESH-Channel 2 for its aerial photography and the expert commentary of Chopper Dan McCarthy. (CNN replayed the WESH footage later Wednesday morning.) WESH also was in the lead on tossing out its regular schedule Wednesday morning to follow the catastrophe.

At midmorning, WFTV-Channel 9 and WKMG-Channel 6 preempted their regular schedules to cover a  news conference. WOFL-Channel 35 bounced between its regular schedule and the wreck. Central Florida News 13 devoted long hours to the story, but WESH offered more engrossing images.

When WESH turned away from the story at 10:30 a.m. to return to "Today," Central Florida News 13 was the place to turn.

Trei Johnson's fans are getting some good news.

The former morning anchor at WOFL-Channel 35 will join Central Florida News 13 this weekend. Her new job begins at 3 p.m. Saturday. Joining her at the anchor desk will be meteorologist Peter Caggiano. They will be the new weekend evening anchor team for the channel.

In a statement, Sean McNamara, News 13's news director, highlighted Johnson's experience. "Trei's expertise in this market is not only impressive, but an incredible asset to our organization. She has the ability to immediately connect with viewers, offering a unique perspective to the stories that impact our community."

What did you think of Thursday night's storm coverage?

The stations certainly set aside time to alert viewers to the danger and warn affected areas.

What coverage did you like? Which coverage annoyed you? Which station did you stick with on the big story? And why?

Or did you tune out? Please tell us what you thought.

Digital customers of Bright House Networks should know that there have been a few changes in the channel lineup:

If you want News 13 on Demand, go to Channel 313.

GAC on Demand has shifted to Channel 327.

ESPN Classic has moved to Channel 110.

ESPNU can be found on Channel 109.

I wanted to share a few readers' thoughts about my commentary on local TV news. Viewers care deeply about local TV news. I hear the most impassioned comments about what's right or what's wrong with the station's newscasts.

You'll find my piece on Page F3 in Sunday's Good Living section. The headline: What makes a newscast stand out? Style

The comments cover a range of topics. Here are the thoughts from one reader:

A new morning anchor joins Central Florida News 13, starting Monday. Lisa Bell comes to the 24-hour news channel from WEAR, the ABC affiliate in Pensacola.

Bell will be paired with chief meteorologist Jeff Day from 5 to 10 a.m. weekdays.

In a release, Robin Smythe, general manager at Central Florida News 13, praised Bell as a strong journalist. "Her talent and level of commitment make her the perfect person for this role at News 13," she said.

Local television stations fulfilled their highest purpose, public service, Friday by throwing out their regular schedules and reporting on the tornado damage in Central Florida.

The stations' investment in helicopters paid off in staggering aerial footage of the destruction. The stations focused on a destroyed church, ripped-apart neighborhoods and determined rescue workers.

The pictures underscored why  television, an immediate and intimate medium, enjoys such an edge in covering disasters. The stations relayed emergency briefings by the governor and county officials.