Tom Skilling | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Skilling in 2014 | |
| Born | (1952-02-20)February 20, 1952 (age 73) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Meteorologist |
| Years active | 1966–2024 |
| Notable credit(s) | WGN-TV,WITI |
| Family | Jeffrey Skilling (brother) |
Thomas Ethelbert Skilling III (born February 20, 1952) is a former American televisionmeteorologist. From 1978 to his retirement in 2024, he worked as a meteorologist atWGN-TV inChicago.[1]
The oldest of four children, Tom Skilling was born at Magee Hospital inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Thomas Jr. and Betty (Clarke) Skilling. His early years were spent inWestfield, New Jersey. The family moved to the Chicago suburb ofAurora, Illinois, where he attendedWest Aurora High School. While in high school Skilling began his career in broadcasting at age 14, working forWKKD andWKKD-FM.[2] Skilling observed that WKKD's forecasts were inaccurate because they were for Chicago and not Aurora, so he approached WKKD and offered to forecast the weather for several days, with the condition that if his forecasts were accurate he would be hired to host his own weather program.[3] Skilling's forecasts were accurate, and he was hired to forecast Aurora's weather three times a day.[3] At age 18, he began working atWLXT-TV in Aurora.[2]
Skilling attended theUniversity of Wisconsin inMadison to studymeteorology andjournalism. While attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he worked atWKOW-TV andWTSO radio, both in Madison.[2] In 1975 Skilling took his first major-market television position, becoming the lead forecaster atWITI-TV inMilwaukee.[2] At WITI, he delivered his forecasts with the "help" of the station's residentsock puppet mascot, Albert the Alley Cat.[4]
Skilling returned to the Chicago area and joined WGN-TV on August 13, 1978.[2] He was WGN-TV's chief meteorologist and was rumored to be the highest-paid local broadcast meteorologist in the United States.[5] He also had written the daily weather column for theChicago Tribune. That feature, Ask Tom, ceased in August 2022 with a redesign of the weather page.[6]
His weather broadcasts have always featured the latest technology in computer imagery and animation techniques. He has long been hailed for his in-depth reports and striking accuracy, perhaps best highlighted by his correctly predicting theGroundhog Day blizzard in 2011 almost two weeks before it paralyzed the Chicago area. "Skillful", as his late WGN-TV colleagueBob Collins called him, was consulted for the movieThe Weather Man, which was set in Skilling's hometown of Chicago at a fictionalized version of WGN-TV.
He also narrated thedocumentariesIt Sounded Like a Freight Train andWhen Lightning Strikes for the station, about the science and dangers oftornadoes (the documentary also includes theChicago area's history of tornadoes) andlightning.
Skilling announced on October 12, 2023 that he would be retiring from WGN-TV on February 28, 2024.[7] On February 1, 2024, WGN announced that the WGN Weather Center will be renamed the Tom Skilling Weather Center.[8]
Skilling is a member of theAmerican Meteorological Society andNational Weather Association. He hosted annualtornado and severe weather seminars at the Fermi National Accelerator Lab (Fermilab) inBatavia, Illinois. 2013 marked the 32nd year of the seminar and the first that featured presentations specifically on climate change.[9][10] In 2018, he announced he would stop hosting these seminars because of scheduling conflicts.[11]
In January 1995, Skilling received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities fromLewis University inRomeoville, Illinois.[12]
Asteroid91888 Tomskilling, discovered by theCatalina Sky Survey in 1999, was named in his honor.[1] The officialnaming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on October 8, 2014 (M.P.C. 90379).[13][failed verification] A statement honoring his career was read into the Congressional record on November 1, 2023.[14]
In 2024, Skilling was named Grand Marshall of the PrideFest inWoodstock, Illinois,[15] but he had to step away from the role due to illness. Fellow WGN-TV newscaster Sean Lewis took his place.[16]
Skilling is the older brother ofJeffrey Skilling, the disgraced formerchief executive officer ofEnron Corporation.[17]
