Governor Pat Quinn will be joined by WGN's Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and National Weather Service Director Dr. Louis Uccellini at the Annual Fermilab/WGN Tornado and Severe Storms Seminar this weekend. While there, Governor Quinn will discuss the state's response to the high number of severe storms that have impacted Illinois over the past several years.
"Illinois has faced a record number of natural disasters in recent years," Governor Quinn said. "It is critical to ensure our state's emergency personnel and first responders are always equipped to do what is necessary to keep the public safe when it comes to severe weather. I salute Chicago's own Tom Skilling for the important work he does to educate the public on the impacts of climate change and importance of preparedness for severe weather."
The Annual Tornado and Severe Weather Seminar was established to educate Illinois residents of all ages about the dynamics of severe weather. Skilling created the seminar 34 years ago, along with Brian Smith, currently with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Omaha, Nebraska. Last year, a discussion of climate change with a Nobel Prize winning scientist and other experts was held, and the discussion of the world's changing climate and its impact on severe weather remains a part of the program.