July 18: ORD

Today is July 18th. It's the 200th day of the year. 166 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 last year. Observations have been official at O'Hare since Thu. 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 84 and the normal low is 64. The 29-year averages are 85 and 66.

On the hot side, in 1986 the high was 93 with a low of 75. In 1991 the high was 96 with a low of 70. In 2005 the high was 91 with a low of 75. In 2002 the high was 92 with a low of 72. In 1982 the high was 87 with a low of 74. In 1983 the high was 90 with a low of 70. Other 90s highs include 91 (1987 and 1993) and 90 (1980 and 1981). Other warm lows of 70 degrees occurred in 1997 and 2001. The record high of 100 was set in 1946 and the record warmest low of 78 was set in 1942. 13 of the 29 highs have been 80s. Nine years between the 90s highs of 91 in 1993 and 92 in 2002.

On the cool side, in 1979 the high was 82 with the record low of 45 (Midway's low (the official one at the time) was 53). In 1984 the high was 75 with a low of 56. In 2000 the high was 71 with a low of 61. In 2003 the high was 75 with a low of 57. In 1992 the high was 77 with a low of 57. Other cool 70s highs were 79 (1989 and 2004) and 78 in 1988. Another cool 50s low was 57 in 1985. The record coolest high of 62 was set in 1924. 16 of the 29 lows so far have been 60s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:00 and sunrise is at 5:33. Sunset is at 20:25 and twilight ends at 20:59. There's a total of 14 hours, 52 minutes of sunlight and 15 hours, 59 minutes between twilights. The moon is full (having reached this stage at 2:59/the full Buck moon) with 100% visible at midnight, 100% visible at noon and 99% visible at midnight tonight. Moonset was at 5:37 this morning. Moonrise is at 20:54 tonight and moonset is at 6:44 tomorrow. Moonlight time is 8 hours, 43 minutes today.

My niece is celebrating her 14th today. Happy birthday Katy! Parent's Day is in nine days. -Bernie-