MIKE Wankum has warmed the hearts of WCVB-Channel 5 viewers for almost 15 years.

The Boston-based meteorologist, Mike Wankum, just returned following a leave of absence.

What happened to Mike Wankum's arm?

On June 3, 2021, Wankum updated his Facebook followers about why they would not be seeing him on air.

The meteorologist underwent rotator cuff surgery.

"You may have noticed I've been off the weather for a few days and it will be a few more days before I'm back on the air," Mike said in his Facebook post.

"I had rotator cuff surgery. It's been hurting for a while and I couldn't point with my left hand. After the surgery and with some physical therapy I'll hopefully be able to use my left arm again. Right now it's painful but getting better. Thanks to all of you who've reached out worried about my absence."

Since his return on June 18, fans have been congratulating him and welcoming him back.

How long has Mike Wankum been a meteorologist?

Mike, 61, has been a meteorologist for over two decades.

The Iowa native joined Channel 5 back in December 2006 and before that he was the chief meteorologist at WLVI-TV for 13 years.

Throughout his career he has also worked with KISS 108, The Boston Herald, WBUR-FM, and WZLX-FM.

Mike also has won multiple awards for his career. He currently has 13 regional Emmy Awards, and multiple AP and Mass Broadcasters awards.

In 2017 the Washington Post named him as one of the 7 Coolest Meteorologists in the United States.

What is rotator cuff surgery and how long is recovery?

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint.

The purpose of a rotator cuff is to help keep the head of your upper arm bone firmly within the shallow socket of the shoulder.

When there is an injury to the rotator cuff, it can cause a dull ache in the shoulder, which can lead to something much worse with the use of the arm away from the body.

Full recovery of a rotator cuff surgery can range anywhere between four to six months depending on how serious the injury is.

The main things to consider when it comes to the length of recovery according to VeryWell Health, are the size of the tear/injury, the ability to repair the tendons, and how committed the patient is to physical therapy.

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