October 16: ORD

Today is October 16th. It's the 290th day of the year. 76 days remain. It's week 42 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 62 and the normal low is 42. The 29-year averages are 63 and 43.

On the warm side, in 1998 the high was 80 with a low of 55. In 1994 the high was 76 with a low of 57. In 1980 the high was 74 with a low of 52. In 1987 the high was 73 with a low of 53. In 1996 the high was 69 with a low of 57. Other warm highs were 75 in 1988 and 73 in 1989. Another warm low was 54 in 1979. Other pre-1979 warm days at O'Hare were in 1968 (82/65), 1965 (80/56) and 1963 (85/56). The record high of 87 was set in 1963 (at Midway) and the record warmest low of 68 was set way back in 1897. 27 of the 29 highs have been in the 50s (10), 60s (10) and 70s (7). The two exceptions were 47 degrees (see "cool side" below) and 80 on our warmest day (1998).

The large spreads were 34 degrees in 1991 (62/28) and 31 degrees in 1983 (72/41). The small spreads were both 8 degrees in 1979 (62/54) and 2006 (56/48).

On the cool side, in 1992 the high was 50 with a low of 29. In 2002 the high was 50 with a low of 33. In 1982 the high was 52 with a low of 32. In 2004 the high was 47 with a low of 39. Another cool high was 52 in 2001. Another cool low was the record low of 28 which was set in 1991. The record coolest high of 44 was set back in 1943. 27 of the 29 lows have been 30s (10), 40s (9) and 50s (8). The lone exceptions were the two lows in the 20s mentioned here.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:39 and sunrise is at 7:08. Sunset is at 18:09 and twilight ends at 18:37. Twilight begins tomorrow at 6:41 and sunrise is at 7:09. There's a total of 11 hours, 1 minute of daylight today and 11 hours, 58 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning gibbous and was full two days ago at 15:02 (the full Hunter's moon). Illumination was 97% at midnight, will be 95% at noon and 92% at midnight tonight. Moonset is at 9:31 this morning. Moonrise is at 18:57 tonight. Moonset is at 10:50 tomorrow. Moonlight time is 14 hours, 34 minutes today.

United Nations Day is in eight days. My oldest sister, Mary Ann, will celebrate a birthday in ten days. Halloween is in 15 days. -Bernie-