October 25: ORD

Today is October 25th. It's the 299th day of the year. 67 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 58 and the normal low is 38. The 29-year averages are 57 and 38.

On the warm side, in 1989 the high was 77 with a low of 52. In 2000 the high was 69 with a low of 55. Other warm highs were 75 in 2004 and 70 in 1993. Another warm low was 52 in 1986. In looking back through the years to the first October at O'Hare in 1959, there was one day that came close to a low in the 60s. This was in 1971 when the low was 59. Therefore, it will be a first when a low in the 60s finally does occur. A pre-1979 warm day at O'Hare was in 1963 (77/51). The record high of 79 and record warmest low of 62 were set in 1963 at Midway Airport. 25 of the 29 highs have been in the 40s (7), 50s (9) and 60s (9). One high made it only into the 30s (see below "cool side") and three highs made it into the 70s.

The large spreads were 37 degrees in 2004 (75/38), 36 degrees in 1982 (62/26), 31 degrees in 1985 (67/36), 30 degrees in 1996 (68/38) and 30 degrees in 1999 (65/35). The small spreads were three degrees in 1986 (55/52), four degrees in 1997 (49/45), five degrees in 1994 (46/41), five degrees in 2001 (40/35) and five degrees in 2002 (47/42).

On the cool side, in 1988 the high was 43 with a low of 26. In 1980 the high was 39 with a low of 33 (a six degree spread). Other cool highs were 40 in 2001, 45 in 1981, 46 in 1979 and 46 in 1994. Other cold sub-30 degree lows were 26 in 1982, 27 two years ago and 29 in 1987. The records were set way back in 1887: the record low of 14 and record coolest high of 29. What a cold day for this time of the year! 14 of the 29 lows have been 30s. Eight lows have been 40s, four in the 20s and three in the 50s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:50 and sunrise is at 7:18. Sunset is at 17:56 and twilight ends at 18:24. Twilight begins tomorrow at 6:51 and sunrise is at 7:20. There's a total of 10 hours, 38 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 34 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning crescent. Illumination was 14% at midnight, will be 10% at noon and 7% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 3:53 this morning. Moonset is at 16:11 this afternoon. Moonrise is at 5:00 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 12 hours, 18 minutes today.

My oldest sister, Mary Ann, will celebrate a birthday tomorrow. Halloween is in six days. -Bernie-