WDSU-TV announced yesterday that longtime Chief Meteorologist Margaret Orr will retire after a 45-year career at the station.
Her last day on air will be March 29th.
Orr is a New Orleans native and is a graduate of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and the Mississippi State Broadcast Meteorology program. She holds seals from both the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association. Margaret joined WDSU in 1979 and was promoted to Chief Meteorologist in 2009.
During her 45-year career, she guided Southeast Louisiana though the impacts of 31 hurricanes, including Katrina and most recently Ida. In 2022 she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters along with the Distinguished Service Award at the National Hurricane Conference.
Orr has long been a staple of the community, particularly during Mardi Gras, where she’s known for her bright pink wig and infectious excitement while anchoring WDSU’s parade coverage broadcasts. The Mystic Krewe of Barkus, a French Quarter dog parade, was founded in 1993 by the Margaret Orr fan club, which she MCs annually. In 2024 she was distinguished as an “Honorary Muse” by New Orleans first all-female Mardi Gras Krewe, Muses.
Margaret Orr’s final newscast will be Friday, March 29th on WDSU News at 6 p.m.
