June 11: ORD

Today is June 11th. It's the 163rd day of the year. 203 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 78 and the normal low is 57. The 29-year averages are 79 and 56.

On the hot side, in 2005 the high was 88 with a low of 72. In 1999 the high was 90 with a low of 66. In 2001 the high was 87 with a low of 64. In 1983 the high was 90 and the high was 87 in 1988. Warmer lows were 69 in 2002, 65 in 1986, 65 in 2004 and 63 in 1987. The record high of 97 was set in 1954 and the record warmest low of 77 was set in 1973. 22 of the past 29 highs so far have been in the 70s (9) and the 80s (13).

On the cool side, in 1985 the only 50s high of 56 occurred with a low of 48. The record low of 41 was set in 1980. Lows were 43 in 1982, 44 in 1989 and 47 in 1988. In 1988 there was a 40-degree difference between the the high of 87 and low of 47. Two years ago the high was just 64. There have been 15 highs in the 50s. The record coolest high of 48 was set in 1903.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 4:42 and sunrise is at 5:16. Sunset is at 20:30 and twilight ends at 21:04. There's a total of 15 hours, 14 minutes of sunlight and 16 hours, 22 minutes between twilights. The moon is waxing gibbous with 56% visible at midnight and 61% visible at noon. Moonset is at 1:13 and moonrise is at 14:02. Moonlight time is 11 hours, 11 minutes today. The moon reached first quarter yesterday at 10:04.

My father turns 68 today. Happy Birthday Dad! Flag day is in three days and Father's Day is in four days. - Bernie -