August 30: ORD

Today is August 30th. It's the 243rd day of the year. 123 days remain. This is week 35.

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 79 and the normal low is 59. The 29-year averages are 80 and 61.

On the hot side, in 1995 the high was 92 with a low of 74. In 1991 the high was 87 with a low of 71. In 1993 the high was 90 with a low of 68. In 1983 the high was 85 with a low of 72. Another hot high was 88 in 1979. Another warm low was 68 in 2001. The record high of 96 was set in 1953 and the record warmest low of 76 was set way back in 1881. We're in a current streak of 12 straight years of no highs in the upper 80s (87, 88, 89) or higher (that is from 1996 onward). 25 of the 29 highs have been in the 70s (11) and 80s (14).

On the cool side, in 1986 the high was 76 with the near-record low of 48 (record is 47, set in 1946). In 1999 the high was 69 with a low of 55. Another cool low was 49 degrees in 1988. The record coolest high of 58 was set in 1915. 22 of the 29 lows have been 50s (11) and 60s (11).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:48 and sunrise is at 6:17. Sunset is at 19:30 and twilight ends at 19:59. Twilight begins tomorrow at 5:49 and sunrise is at 6:18. There's a total of 13 hours, 13 minutes of daylight today and 14 hours, 11 minutes between twilights. The moon is new today at 14:58. Illumination was 0% at midnight, will be 0% at noon and 0% at midnight tonight. Although you wouldn't see it, moonrise was at 6:01 and moonset is at 19:20. Moonrise is at 7:12 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 13 hours, 19 minutes today (although not noticeable).

Labor Day is in two days. Grandparent's Day is in eight days and Patriot's Day is in 12 days. -Bernie-