October 28: ORD

Today is October 28th. It's the 302nd day of the year. 64 days remain. It's week 44 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 56 and the normal low is 38. The 29-year averages are 59 and 39.

On the warm side, in 1999 the high was the record high of 80 with a low of 48 (a 32 degree spread). In 1989 the high was 74 with a low of 53. In 1982 the high was 70 with a low of 54. In 1986 the high was 71 with a low of 46. In 1983 the high was 73 with a low of 43 (a 30 degree spread). Another warm low was 52 in 1991. In looking back through the years to the first October at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable. In 1974 the high was 73 with a low of 50. In 1968 the high was 44 with a low of 39, a 5 degree spread. In 1966 the high was 73 with a low of 37, a 36 degree spread. The record warmest low of 58 was set way back in 1896. 13 of the 29 highs have been in the 50s. Seven highs have been in the 60s. Four highs made it into the 70s but likewise, four highs were only in the 40s. One high (the record) was in the 80s.

Another large spread was 34 degrees in 1981 (65/31). The small spreads were six degrees in 1991 (58/52) and seven degrees in 2000 (53/46).

On the cool side, in 1980 the high was 44 with a low of 26. In 1988 the high was 44 with a low of 30. In 1997 the high was 53 with a low of 25. In 1987 the high was 47 with a low of 31. Other cool lows were 31 in both 1981 and 2005. The record low and record coolest highs were both set on the same day back in 1925: 19 and 31 degrees respectively. 24 of the 29 lows have been 30s (14) and 40s (10). There have been three 50s lows and two 20s lows.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:53 and sunrise is at 7:22. Sunset is at 17:51 and twilight ends at 18:20. Twilight begins tomorrow at 6:54 and sunrise is at 7:23. There's a total of 10 hours, 29 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 27 minutes between twilights. The moon is new today at 18:14. Illumination was 1% at midnight, will be 0% at noon and 0% at midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 7:11 this morning. Moonset is at 17:19 this afternoon. Moonrise is at 8:17 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 10 hours, 8 minutes today, but such a small percentage is visible.

Halloween is in three days. Election day is in a week. Veteran's Day is in two weeks. My sister-in-law celebrates a birthday in 17 days. -Bernie-