Angie Lassman did not replace Dylan Dreyer on the weekday broadcasts of TODAY or the 3rd Hour of TODAY. Instead, Lassman joined NBC News to take over weekend meteorology duties on Weekend TODAY after Dreyer voluntarily stepped down from her weekend post in January 2022 to spend more time with her family.
Understanding the On-Air Transition: What Really Happened on Weekend TODAY
Viewers tuning into morning television often notice subtle or sudden changes in anchor lineups. When meteorologist Angie Lassman began appearing regularly on NBC’s morning broadcasts, many audience members questioned whether she had replaced veteran meteorologist and co-host Dylan Dreyer. The short answer is that Lassman filled the weekend meteorology slot previously held by Dreyer, but Dreyer remains an integral part of the daily TODAY brand.
For nearly a decade, Dylan Dreyer maintained a punishing schedule that included co-anchoring Weekend TODAY on Saturday and Sunday mornings while also contributing to weekday programming, including the 3rd Hour of TODAY. In January 2022, Dreyer officially announced her departure from the weekend edition. Her decision was driven by a desire to rebalance her work and personal life following the birth of her third son. Working six or seven days a week across multiple studio shifts left little time for family life, prompting her to step back from Saturday and Sunday broadcasts.
Following Dreyer’s departure from Weekend TODAY, NBC relied on a rotation of guest meteorologists and NBC News climate correspondents to handle weekend weather duty. In late 2022, NBC News officially brought Angie Lassman on board as a full-time meteorologist based in New York. Lassman assumed the primary weather forecasting duties for Weekend TODAY, effectively filling the vacancy left by Dreyer nearly a year earlier.
This broadcast transition was not a matter of contract non-renewal, talent displacement, or behind-the-scenes conflict. It was a planned succession for the weekend weather desk that allowed Dreyer to focus exclusively on her weekday hosting duties while providing NBC News with a dedicated, highly trained meteorologist for weekend programming.
Who Is Angie Lassman? Background and Career Path to NBC News
Angie Lassman joined NBC News with an extensive background in atmospheric science and regional broadcast journalism. Before moving to 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York, Lassman spent years establishing herself as a trusted weather authority in major television markets.
Academic & Professional Progression of Angie Lassman:
- B.S. & M.S. in Meteorology (Florida Institute of Technology)
- Operational Forecaster / Broadcast Meteorologist (Nebraska local affiliate)
- Lead Meteorologist & Climate Reporter (WTVJ / NBC 6 South Florida)
- On-Air Meteorologist (NBC News / Weekend TODAY / MSNBC)
Lassman earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Meteorology from the Florida Institute of Technology. Her academic training provided her with a deep technical understanding of atmospheric dynamics, severe storm tracking, and climate patterns, which she translated directly into broadcast journalism.
Her professional career began in regional television, including work in Nebraska, where she covered extreme Plains weather such as severe thunderstorms, blizzards, and tornadoes. In 2016, she joined NBC 6 South Florida (WTVJ) in Miami. During her six years in South Florida, Lassman covered major meteorological events, including severe Atlantic hurricane seasons, tropical storms, localized flooding, and ongoing climate impacts on coastal communities. Her work at NBC 6 earned her regional Emmy Awards and national recognition within the NBC Owned Television Stations network.
In November 2022, Lassman announced her move to New York to join NBC News. Her primary responsibility became anchoring weather segments for Weekend TODAY alongside co-anchors Peter Alexander and Laura Jarrett. Beyond weekend broadcasts, Lassman regularly contributes severe weather tracking, climate reporting, and field updates to weekday segments of TODAY, NBC Nightly News, and MSNBC.
Dylan Dreyer’s Ongoing Role on NBC’s TODAY Network
Despite stepping away from weekend weather duties, Dylan Dreyer remains one of the most prominent personalities on NBC News. She joined the network in September 2012 after serving as a meteorologist at Boston’s WHDH-TV and has built a multi-faceted broadcast career over more than a decade.
Dreyer’s daily screen presence centers on the 3rd Hour of TODAY, where she co-anchors alongside Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones, and Craig Melvin. This weekday hour blends news analysis, lifestyle features, lighthearted interviews, and national weather trends. In addition to her co-hosting responsibilities on the 3rd Hour, Dreyer serves as the primary fill-in meteorologist for Chief Meteorologist Al Roker during his vacations, assignments, and medical leaves on the main 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM hours of TODAY.
Beyond standard studio broadcasts, Dreyer hosts Earth Odyssey with Dylan Dreyer, an educational wildlife and nature program airing on NBC’s Saturday morning block. She has also expanded her career into authorship, launching the bestselling children’s book series Misty the Cloud, which introduces basic meteorological concepts and emotional literacy to young readers.
Dreyer’s departure from Weekend TODAY allowed her to consolidate her workflow into a standard weekday operational schedule. Rather than scaling back her overall presence at NBC, the transition positioned her more prominently in weekday morning television while opening up the weekend meteorology desk for Lassman.
Key Differences: Side-by-Side Role and Career Comparison
To understand how NBC divides meteorological and hosting responsibilities, it helps to compare the backgrounds, schedules, and primary duties of both broadcasters.
| Feature / Aspect | Dylan Dreyer | Angie Lassman |
|---|---|---|
| Current Primary Role | Co-Anchor, 3rd Hour of TODAY; Main Weekday Fill-In Meteorologist | Meteorologist, Weekend TODAY; NBC News Climate/Weather Contributor |
| Joined NBC News | September 2012 | November 2022 |
| Previous Station | WHDH-TV (Boston, MA) | WTVJ / NBC 6 (Miami, FL) |
| Education | B.S. in Meteorology (Rutgers University) | B.S. & M.S. in Meteorology (Florida Tech) |
| Primary Broadcast Days | Monday through Friday | Saturday and Sunday (Plus weekday fill-in duty) |
| Specialty Coverage | Studio co-hosting, lifestyle segments, severe weather fill-in, author | Severe weather, tropical systems, climate change tracking, field reporting |
| Off-Camera Projects | Earth Odyssey host, Misty the Cloud author | Environmental reporting, community outreach |
This operational division allows NBC News to maintain seamless weather coverage across seven days of broadcast programming. While Dreyer anchors weekday lifestyle and national weather narratives, Lassman delivers specialized meteorological forecasts during weekend morning slots and during major weather events requiring extra editorial personnel.
Common Misconceptions About NBC TODAY Meteorologist Shifts
Misunderstandings regarding network television lineups are common, particularly when on-air transitions occur over several months. Several widespread myths exist regarding the handoff between Dreyer and Lassman.
Myth 1: Dylan Dreyer Was Replaced Due to Network Restructuring
A frequent assumption when a new host takes over a established slot is that the previous host was let go or replaced against their wishes. In reality, Dreyer publicly initiated her exit from Weekend TODAY to address personal life balance. NBC supported her transition off weekends so she could maintain her primary weekday morning co-anchor seat.
Myth 2: Angie Lassman Took Over Weekday Weather Permanently
Because Lassman frequently appears on weekday editions of TODAY or MSNBC during major storms, severe winter weather, or holiday periods, some viewers assume she moved into a weekday morning slot permanently. Lassman's main anchor chair remains Weekend TODAY. Her weekday appearances are standard NBC News protocol, where meteorologists step in to assist during national weather crises or co-worker absences.
Myth 3: Al Roker’s Health Forced a Permanent Staff Replacement
When Al Roker underwent medical treatments and recovery periods, viewers saw both Dreyer and Lassman stepping in to deliver main-stage weekday weather updates. Some audiences conflated Roker’s temporary leaves with the permanent staffing of the weekend chair. Lassman was hired as part of planned network weather coverage, not as a sudden replacement for Roker or Dreyer.
The NBC Weather Team Dynamic: How TODAY Manages On-Air Scheduling
Morning television networks operate continuous 365-day broadcast schedules. Covering continuous news cycles, live weather patterns, breaking natural disasters, and morning show hours requires a structured roster of meteorologists and co-hosts.
NBC Morning Weather & Hosting Coverage Structure:
- Chief Meteorologist: Al Roker
- Weekday Coverage:
- Al Roker (TODAY 7-9 AM)
- Dylan Dreyer (3rd Hour)
- Fill-in: Lassman / Staff
- Weekend Coverage:
- Angie Lassman (Weekend TODAY)
- Rotating correspondents
- Weekday Coverage:
At NBC News, the meteorological hierarchy is anchored by Chief Meteorologist Al Roker. Roker leads weather reporting for the primary 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM weekday blocks. Dylan Dreyer acts as both a main morning personality on the 9:00 AM 3rd Hour of TODAY and the first-call backup meteorologist for Roker.
Angie Lassman anchors Saturday and Sunday morning weather on Weekend TODAY, ensuring that dedicated, credentialed atmospheric scientists are present in the studio every day of the week. When severe weather events occur—such as major hurricane landfalls, severe tornado outbreaks, or historic blizzards—the network deploys meteorologists across multiple platforms, including NBC News, TODAY.com, and MSNBC. This team approach gives NBC the flexibility to cover national weather events while allowing individual talent reasonable working schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Dylan Dreyer leave Weekend TODAY?
Dylan Dreyer stepped down from Weekend TODAY in January 2022 to spend more weekend time with her husband and three young children. Having worked long weekend hours alongside her weekday morning responsibilities, she chose to focus exclusively on her weekday hosting role on the 3rd Hour of TODAY.
When did Angie Lassman join the TODAY show?
Angie Lassman joined NBC News in late 2022, making her official debut on Weekend TODAY in December 2022 after moving from NBC 6 South Florida (WTVJ) in Miami.
Is Dylan Dreyer still on The TODAY Show?
Yes, Dylan Dreyer is a full-time regular co-host on the 3rd Hour of TODAY every weekday morning alongside Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones, and Craig Melvin. She also regularly fills in for Al Roker during the main 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM broadcast hours.
What is Angie Lassman’s official job title at NBC?
Angie Lassman is an NBC News Meteorologist. Her primary on-air duties involve anchoring weather coverage for Weekend TODAY on Saturdays and Sundays, along with reporting on weather and climate developments for NBC News platforms.
Did Angie Lassman work with Al Roker before joining NBC News?
Angie Lassman worked within the NBC ecosystem for six years as an on-air meteorologist for NBC 6 South Florida (WTVJ), an NBC owned-and-operated station. While her main national network collaboration began in 2022, she was already familiar with NBC News operations and reporting standards prior to moving to New York.
Where can viewers watch Angie Lassman and Dylan Dreyer?
Viewers can watch Dylan Dreyer weekday mornings on the 3rd Hour of TODAY on NBC. Angie Lassman can be seen Saturday and Sunday mornings on Weekend TODAY, as well as during special weather coverage across NBC News and MSNBC.
Summary and Viewer Takeaway
When evaluating broadcast schedule updates on NBC, understanding the difference between weekday and weekend staffing helps clarify viewer confusion:
- No Direct Replacement: Angie Lassman did not replace Dylan Dreyer on the main weekday morning show or the 3rd Hour of TODAY.
- Weekend Succession: Lassman assumed the weekend meteorology seat on Weekend TODAY after Dreyer voluntarily left her weekend duties to focus on her family.
- Active Roles for Both: Both meteorologists hold active, high-profile roles within NBC News—Dreyer co-hosting weekday morning hours and Lassman anchoring weekend meteorological coverage and climate reporting.
For viewers following network meteorology and morning television hosts, both broadcasters continue to deliver daily weather intelligence and feature reporting across NBC's broadcast portfolio.
