Miami Weatherperson Julie Durda Is Taking Some Time Away From WPLG to Be With Her Family

The local news is no longer a staple of every person's TV diet the way it once was, but for many, it remains a crucial way to learn about your area. Just as importantly, local news casts are a part of the rhythm of daily life, which is why so many people develop some sort of parasocial relationship with the people who appear on them.

In Miami, Julie Durda has become a regular part of the rotation on WPLG, which is why so many noticed when she was absent starting on Aug. 4. Following the news that she was not on camera, many wanted to know more about what she was up to. Here's what we know.

Julie is not behind the news desk for purely personal reasons. Thankfully for her fans, she has not been fired, and she also doesn't appear to have accepted a new job somewhere else.

"Hi friends," she wrote on Instagram. "I'm taking some time off to be with famil,y but I will be back soon. This week starts something new and exciting on @local10news so be sure to tune in!"

The change that Julie appears to be referring to is part of WPLG's transition away from their partnership with ABC. That transition was broken up into two pieces, with the first involving a signal change for the station, and the second involving a transition away from ABC packaged content and toward more "thoughtful hyper-local" programming, per WPLG's webpage explaining the move. The full page offers more detail on what the transition means for viewers.

Although WPLG is going through a period of transition, there has been no evidence to suggest that Julie has been fired as a result of these changes. Instead, she just happens to be taking some well-deserved vacation as WPLG is transitioning to covering local issues with even more focus and rigor.

Although her fans are certainly sad to see that she's not on the air, most are also wishing her a happy vacation.

"Enjoy your time with your family!" one person wrote in the comments under her post.

"Enjoy your time off, you will be missed," another added.

While it's unclear whether Julie is taking personal time for a vacation or for something more serious, it seems like she plans to be back on TV soon, and it might not be unintentional that she's left some of the details a little vague.

Although being a local TV personality means that you're a celebrity in the area, that doesn't mean you need to offer those who follow you a window into every aspect of your personal life. Julie will be back soon, and in the meantime, WPLG's regular viewers will have to adjust to the shift in content. While it will mean more local stories, it might also mean changes to how the channel can be viewed, etc. It's certainly a time of change for WPLG's regular viewers.