October 20: ORD

Today is October 20th. It's the 294th day of the year. 72 days remain. It's week 43 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 60 and the normal low is 40. The 29-year averages are 60 and 41.

On the warm side, in 1979 the high was 80 with the record warmest low of 68. In 2000 the high was 77 with a low of 55. In 2003 the high was a near-record high of 85 with a low of 46 (a 39 degree spread). The record high is 86, set in 1953. Other warm highs were 73 last year and 74 in 1986. Another warm low was 51 in 1985. A pre-1979 warm day at O'Hare was in 1971 (81/59). 17 of the 29 highs have been in the 50s.

Another large spread was 35 degrees in 1986 (74/39). Other small spreads were three degrees in 2004 (53/50), four degrees in 1983 (52/48), six degrees in 1985 (57/51) and nine degrees in 1995 (49/40).

On the cool side, in 1989 the high was 41 with a low of 34 (a 7 degree spread). In 2002 the high was 52 with a low of 29. In 1988 the high was 50 with a low of 32. Other cool lows were 29 in 1991, 31 in 1996, 32 two years ago and 33 in 1992. Other cool highs were 49 in 1995 and 52 in three years (1983, 1997 and 1999). The record low of 24 occurred in 1930 and the record coolest high of 36 was set way back in 1895. 23 of the 29 lows have been 30s (11) and 40s (12).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:44 and sunrise is at 7:12. Sunset is at 18:03 and twilight ends at 18:31. Twilight begins tomorrow at 6:45 and sunrise is at 7:14. There's a total of 10 hours, 51 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 47 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning gibbous and will reach last quarter tomorrow morning at 6:55. Illumination was 64% at midnight, will be 59% at noon and 53% at midnight tonight. Moonset is at 13:53 this afternoon. Moonrise is at 23:08 tonight. Moonlight time is 14 hours, 45 minutes today.

United Nations Day is in four days. My oldest sister, Mary Ann, will celebrate a birthday in six days. Halloween is in 11 days. -Bernie-