Who is Tom Skilling?
Tom Skilling is an American journalist who is working for WGN-TV as the chief meteorologist. From 5 to 7 p.m, he appears on WGN Evening News WGN News at Nine, and WGN News at Ten. He joined the station in August 1978. Further, he has served the station for more than 4 decades.
Tom Skilling Date of Birth / Age
Skilling was born on February 20th, 1952 the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois. He is 70 years old as of 2022.
Tom Skilling Height
Skilling stands at a height of approximately 5 feet and 7 inches tall.
Tom Skilling Parents and Siblings
Skilling was born and raised in the U.S. He manages to keep information regarding his parents, siblings, and extended members of his family away from the limelight. Further, his older brother of Jeffrey served as the r chief executive officer of Enron Corporation. Jeffrey is a convicted felon with charges related to Enron’s collapse and was sentenced to 24 years in prison. We will however update this information once it’s available to the public.
Tom Skilling Spouse(Wife)
Skilling exchanged vows with his wife. Even so, he manages to keep information regarding them away from the public. Nonetheless, the information will be updated once available.
Tom Skilling Kids / Children
Skilling has children with his wife. Nonetheless, he manages to keep information regarding them private. However, we will update this information once more details concerning this are available.
Tom Skilling Education
After completing his high school education at West Aurora High School, Skilling went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1970. Later, he became its graduate and attained his degree.
Tom Skilling Career
Skilling works for WGN as the chief meteorologist. From 5 to 7 p.m, he appears on WGN Evening News WGN News at Nine, and WGN News at Ten. He joined the station in August 1978. Further, he has served the station for more than 4 decades. Nonetheless, he began his career at the age of 14, when he served WKKD in Aurora while still in High school.
Three years later, he joined WLXT-TV while attending high school during the day. However, his first TV job was when he served in Aurora at WLXT-Channel 60 at the age of 18. Further, he went on to serve the ABC affiliate, WKOW-TV, and WTSO radio in Madison prior to Milwaukee. From 1975to 1978, he served in Milwaukee at WITI-TV and was rated the city’s #1 meteorologist.
Since joining WGN on August 13, 1978, he has distinguished himself as a respected meteorologist both nationally and locally. Also, he’s famed for his in-depth reports, zeal, and utilization of state-of-the-art technology. For more than 3 decades, he served as the chief meteorologist on WGN Midday News and later newscasts.
Additionally, Lewis University, St. Mary’s of Minnesota, and Aurora University awarded him with three honorary doctorates. Early 2004. He assisted in coordinating the Tribune Weather Center, which merges the meteorology resources and skills of WGN-TV, CLTV, and the Chicago Tribune in one location. Skilling has been the energy behind the Chicago Tribune’s weather page since 1997.
In the column, “Ask Tom Why,” he conveys its viewer’s questions and answers the “why” behind the weather. In October 2008, he and the Weather Center began supplying weather reports to WGN Radio. Also, he gained a huge response for the WGNtv.com weather blog. In addition, he served as a host for Tornado and Severe Storms Seminar at Fermilab.
In his quarter-century as the host, he accepted “who’s who” in the drastic weather research and forecast community. For instance, the well-known University of Chicago tornado researcher, Dr. Ted Fujita. Moreover, the Fermilab programs had frequented thousands over the years. It has been streamed to even larger audiences online.
In 2018, he spoke at many events throughout the Chicago region where he discussed climate change. Furthermore, he served as a host for a talk to 200 area science teachers in Downers Grove and partook in a climate conference in Naperville. Plus, he went to Palatine to address an Energy Expo sponsored by the Sierra Club and worked with the Mayor’s office multiple times
Additionally, he served as an MC of local mayors all over the Chicago community who are addressing climate change. And, served as an MC for an awards event for mayors acknowledging environmental struggles in member cities. The mayors and their representatives for the world’s 40 biggest cities included the mayors of Paris and Mexico City and the Deputy Mayors of New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC.
The Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA) awarded him as their “2018 Broadcast Pioneer” honoree. Also, he has recorded a podcast with Mayor Emmanuel on climate change and emceed various happenings.
WGN
Skilling works with WGN where he serves alongside his fellow anchors, reporters, and meteorologists such as;
- Dina Bair
- Robin Baumgarten
- Tahman Bradley
- Ben Bradley
- Ray Cortopassi
- Lourdes Duarte
- Demetrius Ivory
- Mike Janssen
- Lauren Jiggetts
- Sarah Jindra
- Morgan Kolkmeyer
- Paul Konrad
- Sean Lewis
How Much Does Tom Skilling Earn?
Skilling approximately earns an annual salary that ranges from $100,000-$500,000.
How Much is Tom Skilling Worth?
As a meteorologist, Skilling has been able to accumulate a net worth that ranges from $1 million to $5 million.
Tom Skilling Health/ Weight Loss
In March 2020, Skilling underwent gastric bypass surgery at Northwestern Memorial to help reduce his weight. Further, he said he didn’t want to go down the same path his father went as had a massive stroke and was comatose for a year.
Also, he commented on his embarrassment about his weight and wanted to wear clothes that fit him. As of 2020, he lost 110 pounds and aims to lose 8 more pounds. On a side note, at his peak, he was 292 pounds.
“Dear friends—-Over the next several weeks, beginning Tuesday, I’m stepping away from my weather duties at WGN to undergo gastric bypass surgery. It takes place Wednesday. I’ll be on air Monday then head off to make preparations for the operation. You’re told to expect to be gone 4 to 6 weeks if all goes as expected–though, in talking to others who have undergone this procedure, some have told me it could end up being only a matter of two or three weeks.
…working over the past half year to get ready for this… actually relieved the moment to get this under way nears. I’m sure you know that gastric bypass surgery is a weight loss procedure. As anyone who’s struggled to get weight off and KEEP it off, you realize at some point there are some people who need help beyond merely dieting. I’m one of them and reached the point some time ago that I realized an intervention was a needed.
I’m finally taking the plunge and doing something about it. Hand in hand with the surgery goes an overhaul in how, what and where one eats. You literally enter a new phase of your life when you take this on. I hate missing work. Suddenly you’re not there—and you leave those who follow your work wondering “Where is he? Where did he go?” I didn’t want anyone wondering for a minute what’s going on without a heads up and some kind of explanation of what’s happening.
I work with amazing colleagues at WGN. My weather office co-workers will be covering for me during my absence. I’m so..” he posted on his Facebook account in 2017.
“I used to be embarrassed at the promotional ads they would run on TV because I was so overweight. And I thought, ‘You look awful. That’s an embarrassment not only to yourself but to your station.’You at first are embarrassed that somebody is saying that to you, but really, they are absolutely right.
Watching what my father went through..was on a path that was paralleling what my dad had been on. He was overweight. He was diabetic, had high blood pressure. That was terrible. And it was heart wrenching to watch someone you love go through that.” He voiced.
Tom Skilling Retirement
There have been speculations about Skilling’s retirement due to his age. However, Skilling and the station have not made any comment on this. Currently, he works for WGN as the chief meteorologist. From 5 to 7 p.m, he appears on WGN Evening News WGN News at Nine, and WGN News at Ten.
He joined the station in August 1978. Further, he has served the station for more than 4 decades. Regardless, this information will be updated once more information regarding his retirement has been made public.