March 4: ORD

Today is March 4th. It's the 63rd day of the year. 302 days remain. It's week 9 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. ORD has been the official site of record for Chicago since Thursday, January 17, 1980.

According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the normal high is 41 and the normal low is 25. I've calculated the 30-year averages at 42 and 25.

On the warm side, in 1983 the high was the record high of 73 with the record warmest low of 50. In 1992 the high was 64 with a low of 35. In 2000 the high was 62 with a low of 29, a 33 degree spread. Another warm low was 38 in 2004. 24 of the last 30 highs were: 30s (12) and 40s (12). On the warmer side, four highs were: 50s (1), 60s (2) and 70s (1). On the colder side, two highs have been: 20s (1) and 10s (a.k.a. teens) (1).

In looking back through the years to the first March at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1978 the high was 18 with a low of 3, a cold day. In 1968 the high was 60 with a low of 27, a 33 degree spread and bonus 60s day. In 1967 the high was 32 with a low of 26, a six degree spread. In 1963 the high was 38 with a low of 33, a five degree spread. In 1960 the high was 19 with a low of 7, another cold day.

More recently, we had small spreads of three degrees in 1993 (36/33), five degrees in 1981 (37/32) and six degrees in 2004 (44/38).

On the cold side, in 2002 the high was 19 with a low of -7. Another cold low was 10 in 1996. Another cold high was 27 in 1982. The record low of -12 was set way back in 1873. The record coldest high of 17 was set way back in 1890. 17 of the last 30 lows have been 20s. Five lows were in the colder: negative single digits (1) and 10s (a.k.a. teens) (4). Eight lows were in the warmer: 30s (7) and 50s (1).

Today is a major day in Chicago's snow history. In 2002, 0.3 inches fell. This was the fourth of four days in which a total of 10.2 inches fell. This comprised 91% of the month's total of 11.2 inches. In 1982, 8.5 inches fell. This was the third of three days in which 12.1 inches fell.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:55 and sunrise is at 6:23. Sunset is at 17:47 and twilight ends at 18:15. Chicago's sunset is at 17:45 and twilight ends at 18:13. There's a total of 11 hours, 24 minutes of daylight today and 12 hours, 20 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 5:54 and sunrise is at 6:22. The moon reached first quarter today at 1:46. Illumination was 49% at midnight, will be 55% at noon and 61% at midnight tonight. Moonset was at 1:40. Moonrise is at 10:25 and moonset is tomorrow at 2:42. Moonlight time is 15 hours, 15 minutes which is 16 minutes longer than yesterday.

My birthday is in three days. Daylight Saving Time begins in four days. A sister of mine, Christina, has a birthday in six days. St. Patrick's Day is in a day short of two weeks. -Bernie-