August 21: ORD

Today is August 21st. It's the 234th day of the year. 132 days remain. It's the 34th week of the year.

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 Thursday, January 17, 1980.

According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the normal high is 81 and the normal low is 61. The 29-year averages are 82 and 60.

On the hot side, in 2003 the high was 95 with a low of 72. In 1983 the high was 95 with a low of 67. In 1998 the high was 89 with a low of 70. In 1996 the high was 90 with a low of 66. Last year the high was 87 with a low of 69. Other hot highs include 89 in 1995, 87 in 1989 and 87 in 2002. Other warm lows include 67 in 1987, 67 in 1990, 68 in 1979 and 69 in 1980. The record high of 99 was set in 1955 and the record warmest low of 82 was set in 1916. 26 of the last 29 highs have been 80s (16) and 70s (10).

On the cool side, in 1985 the high was 74 with a low of 52. In 2004 the high was 74 with a low of 52. In 1992 the high was 81 with a low of 49. In 1994 the high was 74 with a low of 56. In 1999 the high was 76 with a low of 54. In 1997 the high was 74 with a low of 57. The record low of 46 was set in 1950 and the record coolest high of 66 was set in 1939. 26 of the 29 lows have been 50s (13) and 60s (13).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:38 and sunrise is at 6:08. Sunset is at 19:44 and twilight ends at 20:14. Twilight begins tomorrow at 5:39 and sunrise is at 6:09. There's a total of 13 hours, 36 minutes of daylight today and 14 hours, 36 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning gibbous with 79% illumination at midnight, 75% at noon and 69% at midnight tonight. Moonset is at 11:30 and moonrise is at 21:45. Moonlight time is 13 hours, 45 minutes today.

Labor Day is in 11 days, Grandparent's Day is in 17 days and Patriot's Day is in three weeks. **** Bernie ****