August 27: ORD

Today is August 27th. It's the 240th day of the year. 126 days remain. It's week 35 of 2008.

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 60. The 29-year averages are 81 and 64.

On the hot side, in 1990 the high was 93 with a low of 72. In 1993 the high was 94 with a low of 70. In 1980 the high was 91 with a low of 71. In 1991 the high was 92 with a low of 70. Another hot high was 90 in 1984. There have been no 90s highs for 14 straight years (and running) since 1993. The record high of 97 was set in 1973 as was the record warmest low of 77. 14 of the 29 highs so far have been in the 80s.

On the cool side, in 1986 the high was 67 with a low of 48. In 1982 the high was 71 with the record low of 47. In 1992 the high was 63 with a low of 55. Other cool highs were 66 in 1987 and 69 in 1988. Another cool low was 56 in 1985. The record coolest high of 61 was set in 1915. 20 of the 29 lows have been 60s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:45 and sunrise is at 6:14. Sunset is at 19:35 and twilight ends at 20:04. Twilight begins tomorrow at 5:46 and sunrise is at 6:15. There's a total of 13 hours, 21 minutes of daylight today and 14 hours, 19 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning crescent. Illumination was 16% at midnight, 12% at noon and will be just 8% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 2:13 and moonset is at 17:55. Moonrise is at 3:30 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 15 hours, 42 minutes today.

Labor Day is in five days. Grandparent's Day is in 11 days and Patriot's Day is in 15 days. -Bernie-