Wednesday, May 27, 2009

May 27: ORD

Today is May 27th. It's the 147th day of the year. 218 days remain. It's week 21 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 73 and the normal low is 51. I've calculated the 30-year averages at 72 and 50.


On the warm side, in 1987 the high was 88 with a low of 68. Four years later, in 1991, the high was 88 with a low of 66. These lows in the 60s were the only lows in the 60s. Other 80s highs of note were 87 in 2006 and 85 in 1980. Rounding out the highs in the 80s, it was 84 in 1988, 83 in 1998 and 81 in 1999. The record high of 94 and record warmest low of 75 were set on the same day back in 1911
. 28 of the last 30 highs (93%) were: 60s (12), 70s (9) and 80s (7). Two highs were in the cooler 50s.

In looking back through the years to the first May at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1978 the high was 88 with a low of 66, a hot day. In 1976 the high was 77 with a low of 46, a 31 degree spread. In 1969 the high was 87 with a low of 63, a hot day. In 1968 the high was 61 with a low of 54, a seven degree spread. In 1966 the high was 85 with a low of 54, a 31 degree spread. In 1961 the high was 70 with a low of 34, a 36 degree spread. In 1959 the high was 83 with a low of 66, a warm day.

More recently, there was a small spread of six degrees in 1996 (54/48). There were large spreads of 35 degrees in 1999 (81/46), 33 degrees in 1980 (85/52), 33 degrees in 1998 (83/50) and 32 degrees in 1994 (67/35).

On the cool side, last year the high was 50 with a low of 42. In 1992 the high was 63 with the record low of 33, a 30 degree spread. The other 30s low was 35 in 1994. These were the only 30s lows, only two years apart. The record coolest high of 49 was set way back in 1895. 26 of the last 30 lows (87%) were: 40s (15) and 50s (11). Two lows were in the colder 30s and two lows were in the warmer 60s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 4:49 and sunrise was at 5:22. Sunset is at 20:19 and twilight ends at 20:53. Tomorrow twilight begins at 4:48 and sunrise is at 5:22. There's a total of 14 hours, 57 minutes of daylight today and 16 hours, 4 minutes between twilights. The moon is waxing crescent, heading towards first quarter in three days at 22:22. Illumination was 11% at midnight, will be 15% at noon and 19% at midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 8:24. Moonset is at 23:51. Moonlight time is 15 hours, 27 minutes which is 33 minutes shorter than yesterday.

My Dad will celebrate a birthday in 15 days. My cousin Tiffany celebrates a birthday in 16 days. Flag day is in 18 days. Father's Day is in 25 days. -Bernie-

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