January 12: ORD

Today is January 12th. It's the 12th day of the year. 353 days remain. It's week 2 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 29 and the normal low is 14. The 31-year averages are 34 and 18.

On the warm side, in 2005 the high was the record high of 62 with a low of 34. A year later the high was 57 with a low of 34. In 1995 the high was 47 with a low of 37. Three years ago the high was 48 with a low of 33. Fifteen years before, in 1992, the high was 40 with a low of 34, a six degree spread. A decade later, in 2002, the high was 41 with a low of 29. Fifteen years before, in 1987, the high was 44 with a low of 25. In 2004 the high was 39 with a low of 30. Other warm highs were 42 in 1989 and 41 last year. Other warm lows were 27 in 2000 and 26 in 1996. The record warmest low of 42 was set way back in 1890. 26 of the last 31 highs were: 20s (8), 30s (10) and 40s (8). On the warmer side, one high was in the 50s and one high was in the 60s. On the colder side, two highs were 10s and one high was in the single digits.

In looking back through the years to the first January at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1977 the high was 4 with a low of -7, a cold day. In 1975 the high was a cold 12 with a low of 5, a cold day. In 1974 the high was 4 with a low of -13, another cold day. In 1972 the high was a warm 43. In 1969 the high was 16 with a low of -5, a cold day. In 1968 the high was 26 with a low of 20, a six degree spread. In 1967 the low was a warm 28. In 1964 the high was 23 with a low of 19, a four degree spread. In 1963 the low was a cold two below zero. In 1961 the high was a warm 46 with a low of 26, a warm day. In 1960 the high was 58 with a low of 37, a warm day.

More recently, we had three days of small spreads. One was four degrees: 30/26 in 1996. Two others were seven degrees: 20/13 in 1984 and 29/22 in 1991.

On the cold side, in 1997 the high was the record coldest high of 2 with a low of -7. A dozen years prior, in 1985, the high was 14 with a low of -1. Three years before that, in 1982, the high and low were also 14 and -1. Another cold low was -1 in 1981. The record low of -14 was set back in 1918. 24 of the last 31 lows were: 10s (9), 20s (9) and 30s (6). Seven lows were colder: negative single digits (4) and single digits (3).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:50 and sunrise is at 7:21. Sunset is at 16:43 and twilight ends at 17:14. In Chicago, sunset is at 16:41 and twilight ends at 17:12. There's a total of 9 hours, 22 minutes of daylight today and 10 hours, 24 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:49 and sunrise is at 7:20. The moon is waning crescent. Illumination was 8% at midnight, will be 6% at noon and 4% at midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 5:32 and moonset is at 14:21. Moonlight time is 8 hours, 49 minutes, three minutes shorter than yesterday and the shortest time of the next several days.

Today is a major day in O'Hare's snow history. In 1979, 2.6 inches fell. This was the second day of a 21.7 inch, seven day storm. Back in 1903 at the Auditorium Tower in Chicago, 11.3 inches fell. This was the station of record at the time.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is in six days. My brother will be celebrating a birthday in 12 days. -Bernie-