December 26: ORD

Today is December 26th. It's the 361st day of the year. Five days remain. It's week 52 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 31 and the normal low is 17. The 30-year averages are 29 and 16.

On the warm side, in 1982 the high was 40 with a low of 33, a seven degree spread. A dozen years later, in 1994, the high was 47 with a low of 24. Three years before that, in 1991, the high was 45 with a low of 25. Three years ago the high was 37 with a low of 32, a five degree spread. Last year the high was 45 with a low of 24. Another warm high was 44 in 2003. Other warm lows were 29 in 1986 and 28 two years ago. The record high of 55 was set in 1971 and the record warmest low of 45 was set in 1936. 18 of the last 30 highs were 20s (6) and 30s (12). On the warmer side, five highs were 40s. On the colder side, seven highs were 10s.

In looking back through the years to the first December at O'Hare in 1958, the following instances were notable. In 1977 the high was 13 with a low of -2, a cold day. In 1973 the high was 38 with a low of 35, a three degree spread. In 1967 the high was 15 with a low of 0, another cold day. In 1962 the high was 8 with a low of -13, still another cold one. In 1961 the high was 30 with a low of 24, a six degree spread.

More recently, we had small spreads of four degrees in 1986 (33/29), six degrees two years ago (34/28), seven degrees in 1979 (33/26) and seven degrees in 1997 (32/25).

On the cold side, in 1983 the high was 11 with the record low of -11. Seven years after, in 1990, the high was 12 with a low of -6. Three years later, in 1993, the high was 13 with a low of 6. Seven years after that, in 2000, the high was 19 with a low of 3. In 1989 the high was 18 with a low of 5. Other cold lows were 2 in 1985 and 6 in 1992. Other cold highs were 18 in 2001 and 19 in 1996. The record coldest high of 5 was set in 1925. 26 of the last 30 lows were 0s (7), 10s (8) and 20s (11). On the colder side, one low each was a negative zero and negative ten. On the warmer side, two lows were in the 30s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:49 and sunrise is at 7:21. Sunset is at 16:27 and twilight ends at 16:59. There's a total of 9 hours, 6 minutes of daylight today and 10 hours, 10 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:49 and sunrise is at 7:21. The new moon is tomorrow at 6:22. The moon is waning crescent. Illumination was 2% at midnight, will be 1% at noon and 0% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 6:58 and moonset is at 15:35. Moonrise is at 7:44 tomorrow. Moonlight time is 8 hours, 37 minutes today.

Today is a major snow day in O'Hare's history. Actually, not today. The next one is tomorrow and it occurred way back in 1894!

New Year's Eve is in five days and New Year's Day is in six days. -Bernie-