Tom Skilling
WGN TV News
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Past articles by Tom:
Skilling: ‘Pineapple Express’ storm to bring wind, rain to Chicago Thursday
The ATMOSPHERIC RIVER STORM sweeping California—the 11th such storm since Dec 22---will cross the Rockies, plug into Gulf moisture and bring Thursday afternoon and nighttime rains to Chicago amid strong southerly winds expected to begin boosting city temps tomorrow (Wednesday). → Read More
What is the giant seaweed blob that is heading towards Florida?
Known as "Sargassum Algae," it's already showing up on some Caribbean beaches in Eastern Mexico near Cancun and on some beaches near Key West, Florida. → Read More
Satellite images show ‘Atmospheric River Storm’ drench California
Weather radar is a phenomenal tool put to work each an every day. Doppler radar depictions of the circulations associated with thunderstorms and the severe weather they can produce, is irreplaceable. But weather radar has shortcomings in a number of weather situations. → Read More
Skilling: Two snow systems possible in the next 7 days
A beautiful Tuesday in Chicago—but windy! The with was the product of an immense Canadian high pressure system with an eye-catching 1052 mb (31.03″) central pressure way up in Canada’s Nunavut territory. The sprawling high is in control of the surface wind field across virtually all of Canada and the northern U.S. The pressure gradient—which […] → Read More
Skilling: Windy storm’s exit makes way for mild temperature weekend across Chicago
FIRST THE FRIDAY WEATHER HEADLINES –Friday’s windy storm exits the area overnight but not before producing snow over the southern half of the metro area—heaviest in northwest Indiana where accumulations of wet, wind-driven snow threaten dicey travel conditions for the opening hours of Friday night. –In Chicago, a wet snow/rain mix exits the area with […] → Read More
Skilling: Will it snow this weekend?
Winter storm watch issued for Friday. Full details from Tom Skilling here FRIDAY: Windy with WET, WIND-DRIVEN SNOW DEVELOPING, likely between 9 and 11am—sooner south, possibly beginning as a mix. Heaviest snowfall in the afternoon and evening. Accumulations of 1-2″ possible north toward the Wisconsin line; 2 to 6″ across the city—heaviest south and away […] → Read More
Skilling: How long will the spring-like temps last?
February, 2023 closes at midnight—bringing to an end what has been an unusually warm and snowless winter overall. Even with two arctic outbreaks—one in December; a second in January—the 3-month Dec through Feb meteorological winter season ends among the warmest 9% of the past 153 years in Chicago. 70% of winter days have been ABOVE […] → Read More
Skilling: Another mild weekend on tap
Chicagoans shivered through one of February’s five coldest days today with a high making a move on 30-deg—a temp 13-deg colder than yesterday—and a high temp which came off a 19-deg low temp. Milder weekend weather’s ahead. And for the second weekend in a row, temps are to surge into the low 50s away from […] → Read More
Skilling: Phenomenal spread in temps across the country
There’s been a phenomenal spread (i.e. variation) in temps across the country Thursday and overnight. There has been 112-deg north/south spread in overnight low temps, from 35-below to 77-above. The fresh new cover of snow across the Rockies, northern Plains and Upper Midwest is part of the reason arctic air has spread into that region […] → Read More
Skilling: Recapping Wednesday storm and a look ahead to the weekend
High winds in the wake of the Wed & Wed night ice, responsible for power outages that at one point affected more than 110,000 in the Greater Chicago area, have been raking the area Wednesday afternoon. Gusts hit 45 mph at O’Hare and 40 at Midway. Other peak Chicago area gusts included 46 mph at […] → Read More
Skilling: Analysis of where snow fell Thursday
Good Friday! Here’s a set of great Friday morning satellite view of the snow which fell with Thursday’s storm. The fresh cover of snow shows up clearly thanks to the clearer skies behind the departed storm. Images like these offer view of the area impacted by storm’s like Thursday’s. I’m posting analyses of where and […] → Read More
Skilling: Both commutes to be a windy, wintry mess Thursday
A windy, messy Thursday and Thursday evening is ahead. February’s first measurable snow and potentially the largest snow accumulation here in three weeks is in the forecast. Winds will increase with mixed sleet, snow and possible freezing rain. A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Lake and McHenry counties in Illinois for 6 a.m. […] → Read More
Skilling: Cooler weather returns later this week
Gusty winds overnight grow stronger Wednesday topping 50 mph at times. They’re the basis of a WIND ADVISORY which locks in from 3am through noon CST Wednesday. Wouldn’t be surprised to see powerful gusts continue into Wednesday afternoon before easing. Ahead of the wind and the rains overspreading the area as this text is issued […] → Read More
Rain, wind and snow possible this week
Chicagoans basked in early April-level temps Tuesday with highs temps which topped out at 55 deg at O’Hare and 54 at Midway. Those are readings six effectively six weeks earlier than in a typical year and the official O’Hare temp comes in 20-deg above normal. Tuesday’s mild weather will continue as rain moves in Tuesday […] → Read More
Heavy rain, sleet, strong winds: Winter storm to sweep into Chicago
Healthy rains are to reach the Chicago area Wednesday night toward midnight and continue into Thursday. The heaviest will be in the city, based on current modeling, in roughly the 5 a.m. to the 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. Thursday time frame. This would coincide with a good part of Thursday’s morning commute period if […] → Read More
Chill to ease midweek, but cold returns Friday
The clock is ticking on January, 2023 which ends at midnight tonight as the cloudiest January on the books —and among the 7% MILDEST, the current cold spell notwithstanding. 72% of meteorological winter days—45 of them—have finished with above normal temps. Only 17 have come in below normal—today being one of them. January 2023 will […] → Read More
Skilling: Just how cloudy and cold was January?
It’s official. Despite Tuesday sunshine, January, 2023 will go down on the books as the cloudiest January since sunshine records were taken starting 129 years ago in 1894. That’s the word from Frank Wachowski who reports the month hosted only 18% of its possible sun–eclipsing the 1998 record of 20%! Now–on to our cold weather!! […] → Read More
How long will this latest blast of arctic air last?
The winter’s second blast of arctic air has taken over—not as intense as the December outbreak, but plenty chilly. A reflective, cold air-preserving layer of snow has set the stage for the current cold blast—the first of this intensity in over a month. Temps by Tuesday morning will drop to single digits over a swath […] → Read More
Weekend snow: When will it start and how much will we get?
Friday’s snow was just the start of a wintery weekend in the Chicago area. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory which will go into effect at 9 a.m. Saturday through 3 a.m. Sunday, for the following counties; Cook, DuPage, Kane, DeKalb, Lake (IL), McHenry and Boone. When will it start snowing […] → Read More
Skilling: Bursts of snow Friday and cold conditions; More Saturday
A blustery cold front sweeps across the Chicago metro area Friday. It’s not the quantity of the snow, it’s this system’s gusty snow showers which is the issue. It’s the fact this front has had a history of producing brief heavy bursts of snow amid strong winds–and that it may do the same in parts […] → Read More