December 28: ORD

Today is December 28th. It's the 363rd day of the year. Three 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 36 and 22.

On the warm side, in 1984 the high was the record high of 69 with the record warmest low of 49. Five years ago, in 2003, the high was 49 with a low of 41. In 1982 the high was 65 with a low of 21, a 44 degree spread. Two years ago the high was 48 with a low of 36. In 1992 the high was 44 with a low of 34. A couple of years later, in 1994, the high was 42 with a low of 34. A couple of years after that, in 1996, the high was 39 with a low of 34, a spread of five degrees. Three years ago the temperatures were the same, a high of 39 with a low of 34 and a spread of just five degrees. Another warmer high was 43 in 1986. Other warm lows were 32 in 1991, 30 in 1987 and 30 last year. 14 of the last 30 highs were 30s. On the warmer side, seven highs were 40s, no highs were 50s and two highs were 60s. On the colder side, four highs were 20s and three highs were 10s.

In looking back through the years to the first December at O'Hare in 1958, the following instances were notable. In 1974 the high was 35 with a low of 33, a mere two degree spread. In 1969 the high was 32 with a low of 25, a seven degree spread. In 1962 the high was 34 with a low of 1, a 33 degree spread.

More recently, we had a small spread of four degrees last year (high of 34, low of 30). The spreads were five degrees in 1987 (35/30) and in 1991 (37/32). There was a spread of seven degrees in 1979 (31/24).

On the cold side, in 1983 the high was 19 with a low of -1. A couple of years later, in 1985, the high was 19 with a low of 0. Fifteen years later, in 2000, the high was 20 with a low of 6. Seven years earlier, in 1993, the high was 25 with a low of 3. Five years before that, in 1988, the high was 19 with a low of 9. The record low of -13 was set back in 1924 and the record coldest high of -1 was set way back in 1880. 27 of the last 30 lows were 0s (4), 10s (7), 20s (8) and 30s (8). On the colder side, one low was in the negative 0s. On the warmer side, two lows were 40s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:50 and sunrise is at 7:22. Sunset is at 16:29 and twilight ends at 17:01. There's a total of 9 hours, 7 minutes of daylight today and 10 hours, 11 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:50 and sunrise is at 7:22. The new moon was yesterday at 6:22. The moon is waxing crescent. Illumination was 1% at midnight, will be 1% at noon and 3% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 8:22 and moonset is at 17:34. Moonrise is at 8:54 tomorrow. Moonlight time is 9 hours, 12 minutes today.

Today is a major snow day in O'Hare's history. Back in 1978 , 2.8 inches fell. This was part of 16.8 inches that fell over four days.

New Year's Eve is in three days and New Year's Day is in four days. -Bernie-