July 21: ORD

Today is July 21st. It's the 203rd day of the year. 163 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 83 and 65.

On the hot side, in 2002 the high was 96 with a low of 78. In 1998 the high was 94 with a low of 76. In 1983 the high was 96 with a low of 72. In 1999 the high was 92 with a low of 74. In 2001 the high was 93 with a low of 73. In 1991 the high was 90 with a low of 75. In 1987 the high was 93 with a low of 70. Other 70s lows were 73 in 2004 and 70 in 2005. The record high of 103 was set in 1901 and the record warmest low of 80 was set in 1972. 13 of the 29 highs have been in the 80s.

On the cool side, in 1996 the high was the co-record coolest high of 67 with a low of 55. In 1992 the high was the co-record coolest high of 67 with a low of 56. In 1981 the high was 71 with a low of 59. Last year the high was 74 with a low of 58. In 2000 the high was 75 with a low of 58. Another cool high was 74 in 1989. Another cool low was 53 in 1979. The record low of 51 was set in 1970. 13 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 5:03 and sunrise is at 5:36. Sunset is at 20:23 and twilight ends at 20:56. There's a total of 14 hours, 47 minutes of sunlight and 15 hours, 53 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning gibbous with 92% visible at midnight, 88% visible at noon and 85% visible at midnight tonight. The full Buck moon was Friday at 2:59. Moonset was at 8:58 this morning. Moonrise is at 22:06 tonight and moonset is at 10:06 tomorrow. Moonlight time is 10 hours, 52 minutes today.

Parent's Day is in six days. -Bernie-