June 27: ORD

Today is June 27th. It's the 179th day of the year. 187 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 November 1978 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 82 and the normal low is 60. The 29-year averages are 83 and 61.

On the hot side, in 1998 the high was 95 with a low of 69. In 2005 the high was 95 with a low of 68. Last year the high was 91 with a low of 71. In 1991 the high was 93 with a low of 68. Other hot highs include 89 in 1996, 88 in 1990 and 87 in 2001. Other warm lows include 70 in 1999, 69 in 1985, 68 in 1986 and 67 in both 1983 and 1995. The record high of 101 was set in 1971. The record warmest low of 79 was set in 1931. 19 of the past 29 highs have been 80s.

On the cool side, in 1992 the high was 69 with the record low of 47. No highs have been in the lower 70s in the past 29 years. Other cool lows were 49 in 1981 and 51 in 1988. The record coolest high of 57 was set in 1905. 25 of the 29 lows have been in the 50s (10) and 60s (15).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 4:44 and sunrise is at 5:19. Sunset is at 20:34 and twilight ends at 21:08. There's a total of 15 hours, 15 minutes of sunlight and 16 hours, 24 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning crescent with 42% visible at midnight and 36% visible at noon. Moonrise was at 44 minutes past midnight and moonset is at 14:37. Moonrise will be at 1:11 tonight. Moonlight time is 13 hours, 53 minutes today. The last quarter moon was yesterday at 7:10.

Independence day is in a week and my mother will celebrate her 67th birthday in 13 days. Happy birthday mom! -Bernie-