October 24: ORD

Today is October 24th. It's the 298th day of the year. 68 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 59 and the normal low is 39. The 29-year averages are 57 and 39.

On the warm side, in 1991 the high was 74 with the record warmest low of 63. In 1989 the high was 76 with a low of 51. In 2000 the high was 67 with a low of 58 (a 9 degree spread). Another warm high was 71 in 1985. Another warm low was 54 in 1986. Pre-1979 warm days at O'Hare were in 1973 (78/53), 1971 (64/61) and 1963 (82/53). The record high of 83 was set in 1963. 26 of the 29 highs have been in the 40s (7), 50s (11) and 60s (8). The exceptions were the three highs in the 70s.

A large spread was 34 degrees in 1982 (57/23). Other small spreads were four degrees in 1983 (51/47), 1986 (58/54) and 2002 (46/42). The spread was six degrees in 1997 (49/43).

On the cool side, in 1981 the high was the co-record coolest high of 40 with the record low of 17. In 1988 the high was the other co-record coolest high of 40 with a low of 26. Five other cool highs were in the 40s: 45 in 1987, 46 in 2002, 47 two years ago and 49 (1995 & 1997). Other cold sub-30 degree lows were 23 in 1982 and 28 (1984, 1999). 20 of the 29 lows have been 30s (8) and 40s (12). Four lows have been in the 20s, three lows have been in the 50s, one low in the 10s (the record low of 17), and one low in the 60s (the record warmest low of 63).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:49 and sunrise is at 7:17. Sunset is at 17:57 and twilight ends at 18:26. Twilight begins tomorrow at 6:50 and sunrise is at 7:18. There's a total of 10 hours, 40 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 37 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning crescent. Illumination was 22% at midnight, will be 18% at noon and 14% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 2:46 this morning. Moonset is at 15:50 this afternoon. Moonrise is at 3:53 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 13 hours, 4 minutes today.

United Nations Day is today. My oldest sister, Mary Ann, will celebrate a birthday in two days. Halloween is a week away. -Bernie-