Tom Skilling, a respected Chicago-area meteorologist who has been on the radio for more than four decades, has announced his retirement.

On Thursday’s edition of WGN Evening News, the 71-year-old weatherman announced his retirement. His final day on the radio will be on February 28, 2024.

Skilling, who will turn 72 in February, described his final 45 years in the air as “marvelous.” He stated that the choice to retire was difficult.

“It was difficult,” the chief meteorologist said, “but it was accomplished, and it just feels right.”

According to the station, Skilling has been on WGN-TV in Chicago since August 1978. He has also given climate change presentations around the United States and presented severe weather courses at Fermilab for over four decades.

Skilling won the Illinois Broadcasters Association’s “Broadcast Pioneer” award in 2018, in addition to his several Emmys from the Chicago/Midwest branch of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Skilling reflected on some of his fondest memories with the station during his on-air announcement, including chasing tornadoes, dogsledding in Alaska, participating in Chicago Weather Day at Guaranteed Rate Field, and much more.

Skilling is expressing his choice to retire after a long and distinguished career. “We all reach a point where we have to make a choice.” Is it time to call it quits? And it’s the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make,” he stated on Thursday.

Skilling intends to stay in Chicago after retirement, but he also wishes to travel. Nonetheless, he has no intention of leaving.

“I don’t know what I’m going to be doing when I get done with this, except [I won’t] have deadlines!” he said.