CHICAGO — Tom Skilling is signing off.
Wednesday marks the final broadcast for the legendary Chicago weatherman, who is retiring from WGN after 45 years. Chicagoans have created tributes to send Skilling into retirement with the city’s immense love and appreciation.
Hop Butcher for the World brewery created the “Tom Freaking Skilling” beer. Hundreds of cases sold out within days, employee Alec Nagy said.
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame released a limited-edition Skilling bobblehead and surprised the weatherman by revealing it to him on-air, delighting him. It’s available for $30 online.
There’s also been a sandwich, a snow plow and even a Naperville dentist’s “Skilling Filling” procedure named in Skilling’s honor.
Skilling said he never expected the immense reaction to his retirement: “Who would’ve thunk!”
The beer, made with Amarillo, Nelson Sauvin and Citra hops, has a label featuring an illustration of Skilling as a bust. It was created by local artist Dan Grzeca.
“It was a really fun way to be able to honor a Chicago legend. We try to tie in Chicago culture,” Nagy said. “It doesn’t get more Chicago than Tom Skilling, so it was a fun thing to do.”
Hop Butcher gifted Skilling some of the beer during an event last week at the Music Box Theater to celebrate his retirement, Nagy said. Skilling said he can’t wait to try it.
“I’ve never been much of a beer drinker, but I’ll tell you one thing: I fully intend to taste it,” Tom Skilling told Block Club on his penultimate day on the job.
For those who missed out on the beer, they can still order “The Skilling” at Publican Quality Meats. The sandwich is made with smoked turkey, Russian dressing, coquelicot cabbage slaw and gruyere cheese on seeded rye bread.
Skilling said he tried it, and it’s delicious.
The city also named a snow plow for Skilling after thousands of residents’ votes were collected for the “You Name a Snow Plow” contest.
Skilling was present when the names of six snow plows were announced Thursday, including the “Skilling It,” which rings true for the meteorologist’s long career.
“Everybody before they go to their graves ought to have a snow plow named after them,” Skilling told Block Club.
‘If You Didn’t Watch, I Wouldn’t Have A Job’
For Skilling, weather has been a “lifelong passion.”
Born in Pittsburgh, Skilling attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study meteorology and journalism.
But Skilling really got his start in broadcasting at 14 in west suburban Aurora. There, as a curious high schooler, he started covering the weather for local radio station WKKD.
“There was no one instigating event, which is the case for some of my colleagues,” he said. “I’ve been interested my entire life. As a little boy, I had paper routes and I would use my $2, $3, $4 allowance to buy weather equipment, which I could never afford.”
Over the course of his 57-year career, Skilling’s had the privilege of doing things he “could’ve only dreamed about,” like working for the “iconic television station” WGN for 45 years and writing the Tribune weather page for 27 years through August 2022, he said.
“It’s been a privilege to be along for the ride all these years,” he said.
Skilling’s passion for meteorology has only grown over time, he said. He leaves his day-to-day duties with just as much interest as he started with, and maybe even more, he said.
“It’s fascinating. Storms don’t just happen, nor do sunny days. There’s a complex series of atmospheric processes that causes all weather,” he said. “It’s really quite fascinating to watch nature put our weather together.”
Extreme swings in the weather kept Skilling — who now lives in Edgewater — busy during his final days on air.
Tuesday started off with sunshine and high temperatures, but Skilling was prepared for the rain, strong winds and cold that rolled into the area Tuesday night and continued into Wednesday.
Online, Chicagoans joked that Tuesday night’s tornado sirens were part of Mother Nature’s farewell to Skilling.
“Illinois giving Tom Skilling one last tornado watch is the greatest gift a Chicago legend could have,” wrote one X user.
As one of Chicago’s most recognized broadcast personalities, Skilling also garnered a massive following and loyal fanbase. He’s become an integral part of the city’s weather scene and a regular on radios and TVs around the Chicago area.
“The response has been overwhelming,” Skilling said. “I never in my wildest dreams ever expected this sort of response. People have been lovely. It’s been an amazing run.”
Skilling said one reason he’s able to have such a special relationship with his viewers is because weather impacts everybody.
“We cover a subject of such universal interest, from ‘How should I dress?’ and people deciding what clothes to wear tomorrow, to more serious moments like a tornado blowing into Plainfield in 1990,” Skilling said. “We live in an area of really phenomenal weather changes, it’s little wonder there’s such a level of interest in it.”
Skilling also believes people who watch him can sense and appreciate the genuine love he has for the job, which has contributed to his success, he said.
“How many people get up and go to a job they don’t really want to do? But they’ve got to put a roof over their heads,” Skilling said. “I’m very lucky to do a job that I love. That doesn’t go unnoticed. I thank my lucky stars every single day that that’s been the case.
“I’ve been up and blessed with a loyal following of people that I never expected. I’m grateful to the core of my being for my viewership. If you didn’t watch, I wouldn’t have a job.”
What’s On Skilling’s Radar?
Skilling, who turned 72 last week, said not having a regular job at a station is going to be the biggest change. He’s been doing that nearly six decades.
Retiring wasn’t an easy decision, but he’s keeping an open mind to all the opportunities that might come his way — even though he won’t be following the weather from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily anymore, he said.
“I don’t think they’re burying me yet. I still have my health,” Skilling said. “I intend to continue to work in some form, but I’m entering kind of a new chapter of my life.”
Skilling still has a lot of upcoming projects, such as a week-long annual Edgar Fellows program at the University of Illinois in Champaign, where he was previously invited to speak about climate change, he said.
Skilling also plans to collaborate with the Adler Planetarium and Midwest Environmental Law and Policy Center on weather-related projects, two groups he has working relationships with, he said.
“That’s the work that continues,” he said. “It’s always a joy to talk to folks and tell them what our researchers are finding. … One of the joys of my life has been to introduce folks to the people on whose shoulders meteorologist’s work stands.”
Skilling will also be trading Chicago winters for Hawaiian sunsets and trips to Alaska, two places he’s visited many times in recent decades, he said. Skilling is fascinated by the climates and beauty of those “more extreme latitudes” and how climate change is impacting them, he said.
“I just want to be quieter and maybe a little less deadline-driven,” he said. “I’m not sure how exactly this is going to shape up moving forward. I’m hoping to keep speaking on the weather.”
Outside of work, Skilling said he’s been asked to be in parades, he’ll receive an honorary doctorate from Northern Illinois University and he’s going to be honored by peers as University of Wisconsin-Madison’s alumnus of the year.
“It was all coming so fast, I thought it’s time to slow down and take a breath,” Skilling said. “I keep an open mind. I’m a little tired now. Stepping away from that and the daily deadlines and slowing down a bit is very appealing.”
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