October 23: ORD

Today is October 23rd. It's the 297th day of the year. 69 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 40. The 29-year averages are 59 and 41.

On the warm side, in 1992 the high was 76 with a low of 58. In 1991 the high was 77 with a low of 55. In 2004 the high was 76 with a low of 55. In 2000 the high was 71 with a low of 58. Other warm highs were 72 in 1989 and 71 in 1995. Other warm lows were 54 in 1985, 55 in 1986 and 58 in 2001. Pre-1979 warm days at O'Hare were in 1975 (78/60), 1967 (78/54) and 1963 (85/55). The record high of 85 was set in 1963. The record warmest low of 64 was set back in 1920. Aside from the lone 30s high, the other categories are close. There have been seven highs in the 40s, eight highs in the 50s, seven highs in the 60s and six highs in the 70s.

Other large spreads were 30 degrees in 1989 (72/42) and 30 degrees in 1993 (68/38). The small spreads were five degrees in 1983 (52/47), six degrees in 1979 (45/39), six degrees in 2002 (46/40), seven degrees in 2001 (65/58) and eight degrees in 1986 (63/55).

On the cool side, in 1981 the high was the record coolest high of 35 with the record low of 20. In 1982 the high was 54 with a low of 23 (a 31 degree spread). In 1987 the high was 49 with a low of 29. In 2005 the high was 48 with a low of 32. Other cool highs were 45 in 1979, 46 in 2002, 48 in 1996 and 49 (1999 & two years ago). Other cool lows were 28 in 1984 and 32 in 1990. 25 of the 29 lows have been 30s (10), 40s (8) and 50s (7). Four lows have been in the 20s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:47 and sunrise is at 7:16. Sunset is at 17:59 and twilight ends at 18:27. Twilight begins tomorrow at 6:49 and sunrise is at 7:17. There's a total of 10 hours, 43 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 40 minutes between twilights. The moon is waning crescent and reached last quarter two days ago at 6:55. Illumination was 31% at midnight, will be 26% at noon and 22% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 1:36 this morning. Moonset is at 15:28 this afternoon. Moonrise is at 2:46 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 13 hours, 52 minutes today.

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