May 4: ORD

Today is May 4th. It's the 125th day of the year. 241 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. According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the normal high for today is 66 and the normal low is 42. The 29-year averages are 64 and 42.

According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the normal high for today is 66 and the normal low is 42. The 29-year averages are 64 and 42. On the warm side, in 2000 the high was 81 along with the near record warmest low of 63 (record is 66, set in 1955). In 1981 the high was 78 with a low of 59. In 1980, the high was 86 and the low was 49. In 1982, the high was 83 with a low of 51. In 1999, the high was 81 with a low of 53. A couple of 70s highs of note include 76 in 1985 and 75 in 1986. The low was 54 in 2006 and 52 in 1993. The record high of 92 was set in 1952.

On the cool side, there have been no days of a mean that was at least 12 degrees below normal. However, we have had some cool highs over the years: 49 in 1990, 54 in 1992 and 54 in 1996. The cold lows were 33 in 2005 and 34 in 2002. The record low of 32 was set in 1954. The record coldest high of 41 was set in 1907.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:13 and sunrise is at 5:44. Sunset is at 19:57 and twilight ends at 20:28. There's a total of 14 hours, 13 minutes of sunlight and 15 hours, 15 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning crescent with 3% visible at midnight and 1% visible at noon. Moonrise is at 4:46 and moonset is at 19:26. Moonlight time is 14 hours, 40 minutes. The moon will be new at 7:18 on Monday, May 5th.

Mother's Day is in 7 days and Memorial Day is in 22 days. One of my sisters, Maria, will be celebrating her 29th birthday in two days short of two weeks. I wish her happy birthday!

-Bernie-