June 21: ORD

Today is June 21st. It's the 173rd day of the year. 193 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 is 81 and the normal low is 59. The 29-year averages are 83 and 61.

On the hot side, in 1988 the high was the record high of 101 with a low of 71. The 90s highs were 93 in 1991, 92 in 1986 and 91 in 1983. In 1998 the high was 88 with a low of 69. Two years ago the high was 87 with a low of 69. Other upper 80s highs include 89 in 2005, 88 in 2002 and 87 in 1979. Other warm upper 60s lows include 69 in 1995, 68 in 2000 and 67 in 1979. Besides 1988, the low was also 71 in 2002. The record warmest low of 74 was set in 1923. 17 of the 29 highs so far have been in the 80s.

On the cool side, in 1992 the high was 61 with the record low of 38. Other cool highs were 67 in 2004 and 69 in 2001. The only 40s low was 47 in 2003. The record coolest high was 56, set way back in 1881. 17 of the 29 lows so far have been in the 60s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 4:42 and sunrise is at 5:17. Sunset is at 20:33 and twilight ends at 21:08. There's a total of 15 hours, 16 minutes of sunlight and 16 hours, 26 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning gibbous with 94% visible at midnight and 92% visible at noon. Moonset is at 7:46 and moonrise is at 22:51. Moonlight time is 8 hours, 55 minutes today. The full Strawberry moon was Wednesday at 12:30. The Summer Solstice was yesterday at 18:59.

Independence day is in 13 days. -Bernie-