The longtime weatherman tells PEOPLE about his own future on television at the Food & Wine Classic in Charleston Al Roker knows what's coming. The weatherman, who has been a mainstay on the Today show since 1996,

America’s beloved weatherman, 70, who’s been on the NBC show since 1996, addressed his inevitable retirement just days after Kotb, 60, announced her departure after 26 years. “You know when you know,” Roker told People at the first Food & Wine Classic festival in Charleston, South Carolina.

In the aftermath of Kotb's announcement, Al Roker has stepped forward with a heartfelt tribute to his longtime colleague and friend.