May 19: ORD

Today is May 19th. It's the 140th day of the year. 226 days remain.

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. 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 71 and the normal low is 49.
The 29-year averages are 71 and 49.

On the warm side, in 1996 the high was 90 with the warmest and only 70s low of 72. In 1998 the high was 91 with a low of 66. In 1982 the high was 80 with a low of 57. Other highs of note include 80 last year, 83 in 1987 and the only upper 70s high of 79 in 1985. Other lows of note include 60 in 1989 and highs of 58 in both 1984 and 2003. The record high of 94 was set in 1975 and tied in 1977. The record warmest low of 74 was set in 1911. 21 of the 29 highs have been in the 60s (8) and 70s (13). There was a 38-degree difference between the high and low in 1985: high of 79, low of 41.

On the cool side, in 2000 the high was 48 (only 40s high) with the low of 44. In 2002, the high was 54 with a low of 38. In 1986, the high was 55 with a low of 42. The record low of 36 was set in 1993 and this tied the original record low which was set way back in 1894. The record coolest high of 41 degrees was set way back in 1895. 24 of the 29 lows are in the 40s (16) and 50s (8).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 4:55 and sunrise is at 5:28. Sunset is at 20:12 and twilight ends at 20:45. There's a total of 14 hours, 44 minutes of sunlight and 15 hours, 50 minutes between twilights. The moon is full (Flower moon) with 99% visible at midnight and 100% visible at noon. Moonset is at 4:43 and moonrise is at 20:23. Moonlight time is 8 hours, 20 minutes today.

Memorial Day is in seven days.

- Bernie -