July 5: ORD

Today is July 5th. It's the 187th day of the year. 179 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 62. The 29-year averages are 84 and 62.

On the hot side, in 1999 the high was 94 with a low of 79. In 1994 the high was 95 with a low of 77. In 1986 the high was 91 with a low of 74. Last year the high was 89 with a low of 71. In 1988 the high was 98 with a low of 60 (a 38-degree difference). In 1993 the high was 89 with a low of 69. In 2003 the high was 88 with a low of 68. Other hot highs were 95 in 1982 (with a low of 60, a 35-degree difference), 94 in 1980 (with a low of 58, a 36-degree difference), 89 in 1989, 89 in 1991, 88 in 1990 and 87 in 2005. Other warm lows were 67 in 2000, 68 in 1987 and 68 in 2002. The record high of 102 was set in 1911 and the record warmest low of 82 was also set in 1911. 22 of the past 29 highs have been 70s (9) and 80s (13).

On the cool side, in 1983 the high was the only 60s high of 67 with a low of 48. In 1979 the high was 71 with a low of 47. These were the only 40s lows. In 2001 the high was 73 with a low of 54. The only other mid 70s high was 74 in 2004. Other cool lows were 54 in 1996 and 53 in 1997. The record low of 46 was set in 1972 and record coolest high of 65 was set in 1967. 15 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 4:49 and sunrise is at 5:23. Sunset is at 20:32 and twilight ends at 21:07. There's a total of 15 hours, 9 minutes of sunlight and 16 hours, 18 minutes between twilights. The moon is waxing crescent with 7% visible at midnight and 10% visible at noon. Moonrise is at 8:19 and moonset is at 22:31. Moonlight time is 14 hours, 12 minutes today. The moon is approaching the first quarter which will occur Wednesday at 23:35.

My mother will celebrate her 67th birthday in five days. Happy birthday mom! -Bernie-