Mike Caplan

Mike Caplan, former meteorologist at ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7, has been hired as Monday-through-Friday morning weatherman at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32.

Caplan will join the cast of “Good Day Chicago,” the low-rated morning show airing from 4:30 to 10 a.m. weekdays, according to an announcement to staff Friday by Fox 32 bosses.

Mark Strehl

Meteorologist Mark Strehl, the 11-year veteran Caplan will be replacing on the show, may be reassigned at Fox 32.

Last January Caplan was released after 21 years at ABC 7, shortly after the station added meteorologist Cheryl Scott to its weather staff. He most recently had handled weekday afternoon and fill-in forecasting duties.

Caplan was among numerous local personalities reported here to have taped on-camera auditions with “Good Day Chicago” anchors in recent months. His hiring closely follows that of Sun-Times film critic Richard Roeper, who signed on as a co-host of the show October 26.

Also new to the show are news anchor George Smith and executive producer Dan Salamone, both formerly of CBS affiliate WOIO-TV and MyNetworkTV affiliate WUAB-TV in Cleveland.

Caplan, a north suburban native and graduate of Illinois State University, joined ABC 7 in 1994 from WTVD-TV, the ABC-owned station in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina.