May 10: ORD

Today is May 10th. It's the 131st day of the year. 235 days left.

Unless noted, the following data is based upon observations collected by the National Weather Service, Chicago, at O'Hare International Airport (ORD) between 1979 and 2007. Observations have been official at O'Hare since Jan. 17, 1980.

Before this, Midway International Airport (MDW) was the official station of record from Wed. July 1, 1942 to Thu. Jan. 17, 1980. Before July 1, 1942, records were official at various locations in the city going all the way back to Mon. Oct. 16, 1871. All weather records before this (back to Sat. Oct. 15, 1870) were lost during the Great Chicago Fire which began on the evening of Sun. Oct. 8, 1871.

According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the normal high for today is 68 and the normal low is 45.
The 29-year averages are 72 and 48.

On the warm side, in 1979 the high at O'Hare was 90, but since it was just 86 at the official station of record (Midway), the record for the date remains at 89 set in 1896. In 1896 this station was at the NE corner of Wabash and Congress at the Auditorium Theater Tower. The low was 67, which is just two degrees short of the record warmest low of 69 which was set...yep, in 1896. In 1987, the high was 88 with a low of 61. In 1993, the high was 87 with a low of 62. In 2005, the high was 82 with a low of 60. In 2004, the high was 84 with a low of 56. Last year the high was 84 with a low of 56. In 1982, the high was 86 with a low of 53. In 2001, the high was 81 with a low of 58. The high was 82 in 1985 and 83 in 1992. 25 of the 29 highs since 1979 have been in the 60s, 70s and 80s (8, 8 and 9 respectively).

On the cool side, in 1981 we had a the record coldest high of 39 (it was 41 at MDW) with a low of 35. In 1990, the high was 50 with a low of 36. The only other 50s high was 54 in 1995. The record low of 28 occurred in 1983. Other 30s lows include 37 in 1984, 39 in 1989 and 39 in 1996. 19 of the 29 lows for the date have been in the 40s and 50s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:05 and sunrise is at 5:37. Sunset is at 20:03 and twilight ends at 20:35. There's a total of 14 hours, 26 minutes of sunlight and 15 hours, 30 minutes between twilights. The moon is waxing crescent with 30% visible at midnight and 35% visible at noon. Moonset is at 1:04 and moonrise is at 10:30. The moon will set at 1:38 on the 11th. Moonlight time is 14 hours, 34 minutes today. First quarter moon is Monday, May 12th at 8:47.

Mother's Day is in 1 day and Memorial Day is in 16 days. One of my sisters, Maria, will be celebrating her 29th birthday in 6 days. I wish her happy birthday!

- Bernie-