September 14: ORD

Today is September 14th. It's the 258th day of the year. 108 days remain. It's week 38 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 75 and the normal low is 54. The 29-year averages are 74 and 55.

On the hot side, in 1994 the high was 90 with a low of 73. In 1991 the high was 90 with a low of 67. In 2004 the high was 85 with a low of 64. In 1992 the high was 82 with a low of 63. Other warm highs were 83 in 2002 and 81 in 1988. Other warm lows were 68 in 1988 and 61 in 1982. The record high of 99 was set in 1939 as well as the record warmest low of 76. 23 of the 29 highs have been 60s (9) and 70s (14).

Big differences between the high and low were 31 degrees in 1988 (81/50) and 30 degrees in 2002 (83/53). A small difference between the high and low occurred in 1998 (75/68).

On the cool side, in 1996 the high was 60 with a low of 46. In 1985 the high was 69 with a low of 40. Last year the high was 66 with a low of 45. The other cool highs were 63 in 2001 and 65 in both 1984 and 1989. The other cool lows were 44 in 1983, 46 in 1987 and 48 in 1999. The record coolest high of 54 was set in 1923. 15 of the 29 lows have been 50s, eight have been 40s, five have been 60s and one 70s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:05 and sunrise is at 6:33. Sunset is at 19:04 and twilight ends at 19:32. Twilight begins tomorrow at 6:06 and sunrise is at 6:34. There's a total of 12 hours, 31 minutes of daylight today and 13 hours, 27 minutes between twilights. The moon is waxing gibbous and will reach full Harvest moon tomorrow at 4:13. Illumination was 98% at midnight, will be 99% at noon and 100% at midnight tonight. Moonset was at 5:40 this morning. Moonrise is at 18:36 and moonset is at 6:50 tomorrow. Moonlight time is 11 hours, 4 minutes today.

My sister, Maria, and her husband Buddy are celebrating their seventh wedding anniversary today. They reside in Tampa, home to those amazing Rays.

Constitution Day, also known as Citizenship day, is in three days. This is a newer holiday, having been enacted by Congress just four years ago. The website "www.patriotism.org" says that Constitution Day is "a birthday for our country and it serves as a means for American citizens to express their pride in their citizenship. Constitution Day also designates a time to honor the Constitution of America and learn more about the famous piece of legislation." -Bernie-