November 2: ORD

Today is November 2nd. It's the 307th day of the year. 59 days remain. It's week 45 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 55 and the normal low is 36. The 30-year averages are 53 and 37.

On the warm side, in 1990 the high was 73 with a low of 58. In 1987 the high was 71 with a low of 58. In 1983 the high was 63 with a low of 53. Another warm high was 70 in 1978. Another warm low was 50 in 1981. The record high of 78 was set in 1974 and the record warmest low of 62 was set in 1944. 23 of the 30 highs have been 40s (8), 50s (8) and 60s (7). Four highs were in the 30s and three highs have reached into the 70s (see 1990 above for the most recent).

In looking back through the years to the first November at O'Hare in 1958, the following instances were notable. In 1977 the high was 73 with a low of 56. In 1975 the high was 73 with a low of 56. In 1974 the high was 74 with a low of 49. In 1970 the high was 44 with a low of 40 (a four degree spread). In 1969 the high was 47 with a low of 44 (a three degree spread). In 1967 the high was 48 with a low of 41 (a seven degree spread). In 1965 the high was 68 with a low of 38 (a 30 degree spread). In 1961 the high was 77 with a low of 56. In 1960 the high was 42 with a low of 38 (a four degree spread).

More recently, the large spreads of 31 degrees occurred in 1978 (70/39) and 1995 (60/29). In 2004 the spread was four degrees (49/45) and seven degrees in 2003 (55/48).

On the cool side, in 1991 the high was 32 with a low of 18. In 1984 the high was 36 with a low of 21. Two years ago the high was 34 with a low of 24. In 1996 the high was 37 with a low of 22. In 1989 the high was 41 with a low of 26. Another cool low was 25 in 1980. Other cool highs were 44 in 1997 and 46 in 1986. The record low and record coolest highs were both set in 1951 at 14 and 29 degrees respectively. 20 of the 30 lows have been in the 20s (8) and 30s (12). One low was in the 10s (18 in 1991), five lows were in the 40s and four lows were in the 50s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:59 and sunrise is at 6:28. Sunset is at 16:45 and twilight ends at 17:14. Twilight begins tomorrow at 6:00 and sunrise is at 6:29. There's a total of 10 hours, 17 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 15 minutes between twilights. The moon is waxing crescent. Illumination was 16% at midnight, will be 20% at noon and 24% at midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 11:06 this morning. Moonset is at 19:47 tonight. Moonlight time is 8 hours, 41 minutes today.

Standard time resumes today. Election day is in two days. Veteran's Day is in nine days. My sister-in-law celebrates a birthday in 12 days. -Bernie-