Saturday, August 15, 2009

August 14: ORD

Today is August 14th. It's the 226th day of the year. 139 days remain. It's week 33 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 82 and the normal low is 63. I've calculated the 30-year averages at 80 and 62.


On the hot side, in 1995 the high was 95 with the record warmest low of 79. In 1988 the high was 92 with a very warm low of 75. There were only two other 90s highs: 90 in both 1983 and 1993. The record high of 99 was set in 1944.
Over the last 30 years, 25 highs were: 70s (13) and 80s (12). Four highs were in the warmer 90s and one high was in the cooler 60s.

In looking back through the years to the first August at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1972 the high was 92. In 19
70 from the 11th through the 17th, highs were at least 85. The warmest was 88 on the 15th. Lows were at least 62 except for 57 on the 17th. In 1969 from the 12th through the 18th, highs were at least 85. The warmest was 88 on the 14th. Lows were at least 68 except for 61 on the 12th. The warmest low was 74 on the 14th, and there were lows of 71 on both the 15th and 18th. In 1967 the low was 48 which is equal to the day's record low. In 1964 the high was 76 with a low of 42, a 34 degree spread and a cool day. That low of 42 was cooler than the record low. In 1963 the high was 72 with a low of 48, a cool day. That low of 48 was also equal to the day's record low. In 1959 the high was 90 with a low of 75. The low qualifies as significantly above normal.

More recently, there w
as a large spread of 33 degrees in 1984 (84/51).

On the cool side, in 2004 the high was 70 with a low of 50. The other low 50s lows were 51 in 1984 and 52 in 1990. The highs not to make it out of the low 70s were 67 in 1992, 70 in 1979 and 72 in 1994. The record low of 48 was set at Midway in 1964. The record coolest high of 65 was set way back in 1885. The official thermometer was located near Lake Michigan at the time. Over the last 30 years, 28 lows were: 50s (12) and 60s (16). Two lows were in the warmer 70s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight is at 5:30 and sunrise is at 6:00. Sunset is at 19:55 and twilight ends at 20:25. Tomorrow twilight begins at 5:31 and sunrise is at 6:01. There's a total of 13 hours, 55 minutes of daylight today and 14 hours, 55 minutes between twilights. The moon reached last quarter yesterday at 13:55. The moon is waning crescent. Illumination was 45% at midnight, will be 39% at noon and 34% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was last night at 23:20. Moonset is at 15:13 this afternoon. Moonrise is at 9 minutes past midnight tonight. Moonset is at 16:19 tomorrow afternoon. Moonlight time is 15 hours, 13 minutes which is 31 minutes longer than yesterday.

My tennis coach, Bob Finder, will be 77 in five days. Steve Campbell and Christina, a sister of mine, celebrate their seventh anniversary in six days. -Bernie-

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