July 2: ORD

Today is July 2nd. It's the 184th day of the year. 182 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 82 and the normal low is 61. The 29-year averages are 82 and 59.

On the hot side, in 2002 the high was 93 with a low of 75. In 1991 the high was 96 with a low of 68. In 1997 the high was 89 with a low of 69. Other hot highs include 89 in 2003, 89 in 1992 and 87 in 1989. Other warm lows include 69 two years ago and 67 in 1999. The record high of 99 was set in 1970 and the record warmest low of 79 was set in 1911. 18 of the past 29 highs have been 80s.

On the cool side, in 1982 the high was 73 with a low of 51. In 2001 the high was 75 with the co-record low of 49 [also 49 in 1984]. Another cool high was 70 in 1994. Cool lows were 50 in 1979, 50 in 1995 and 51 in 1988. The record coolest high of 62 was set in 1940. 26 of the 29 lows so far have been 50s (12) and 60s (14).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 4:47 and sunrise is at 5:21. Sunset is at 20:33 and twilight ends at 21:08. There's a total of 15 hours, 12 minutes of sunlight and 16 hours, 21 minutes between twilights. The moon is new tonight at 21:19 with 1% visible at midnight and 0% visible at noon. Moonrise was at 4:24 and moonset is at 20:42. Moonrise will be at 5:40 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 16 hours, 18 minutes today.

Our nation's 232nd birthday (Independence Day) is in two days and my mother will celebrate her 67th birthday in eight days. Happy birthday mom! -Bernie-