July 3: ORD

Today is July 3rd. It's the 185th day of the year. 181 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 83 and the normal low is 61. The 29-year averages are 84 and 62.

On the hot side, in 1999 the high was 92 with a low of 76. In 2002 the high was 94 with a low of 73. In 1983 the high was 88 with a low of 73. In 1991 the high was 91 with a low of 67. In 1993 the high was 91 with a low of 67. In 1998 the high was 88 with a low of 69. In 1987 the high was 88 with a low of 67. The other 90s high was 93 in 2003. The other upper 60s low was 67 two years ago. The record high of 102 was set in 1949 and the record warmest low of 78 was set in 1911. 16 of the past 29 highs have been 80s.

On the cool side, only one high has been in the lower 70s. That was 72 in the year 2000. Of the ten lows in the 50s, only three have been in the lower 50s: 50 in 1980 (the record low), 52 in 1986 and 52 in 1988. The record coolest high of 63 was set in 1909. 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 4:48 and sunrise is at 5:22. Sunset is at 20:33 and twilight ends at 21:07. There's a total of 15 hours, 11 minutes of sunlight and 16 hours, 19 minutes between twilights. The moon is waxing crescent with 0% visible at midnight and 1% visible at noon. Moonrise is at 5:40 and moonset is at 21:28. Moonrise will be at 7:00 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 15 hours, 48 minutes today. The new moon was last night at 21:19.

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