Monday, January 11, 2010

January 8: ORD

Today is January 8th. It's the 8th day of the year. 357 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 30 and 15.


On the warm side, two years ago the high was 56 with a low of 37. Five years prior, in 2003, the high was 54 with a low of 37. In 1992 the high was 44 with a low of 35. In 2006 the high was 45 with a low of 32. In 1990 the high was 47 with a low of 28. A decade later, in 2000, the high was 45 with a low of 29. Two years before, in 1998, the high was 35 with a low of 32, a three degree spread. Another warm high was 41 in 2002. Other warm lows were 26 in 1983 and 2007. The record high of 63 was set in 1965 and the record warmest low of 45 was set way back in 1876. 18 of the last 31 highs were: 20s (11) and 30s (7). On the warmer side, seven highs were: 40s (5) and 50s (2). On the colder side, six highs were: single digits (2) and 10s (aka teens) (4).

In looking back through the years to the first January at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1978 the high was 35 with a low of 2, a 33 degree spread. In 1977 the high was 19 with a cold low of 1, a cold day. In 1976 the high was 4 with a low of -9, a cold day. In 1975 the high was 43 with a low of 35, a warm day. In 1974 the low was a cold 2 degrees. In 1972 the high was a warm 43 degrees. In 1971 the low was a cold -1 degree. In 1970 the high was 0 with a low of -4, a spread of four degrees and a cold day. In 1968 the high was 15 with a low of -6, a cold day. In 1966 the high was 20 with a cold low of 1, a cold day. In 1965 the high was a warm 60 with a low of 17, a 43 degree spread and warm day. A high in the 60s does not occur very often on January 8th. In fact, this was the day of the record high (63 at Midway). In 1963 the high was 43 with a low of 30, a warm day. In 1962 the high was 17 with a low of -1, a cold day.

More recently, we had a small spreads of three degrees in 2005 (27/24) and seven degrees in 1987 (32/25).

On the cold side, in 1979 the high was 6 with a low of -10. In 1994 the high was 9 with a low of -6. In 1986 the high was 17 with a low of -8. Two years later, in 1988, the high was 19 with a low of -3. Six years before that, in 1982, the high was 20 with a low of -3. Another cold high was 17 in 1980. The record low of -11 was set in 1942. The record coldest high of 0 was set in 1970. 21 of the last 31 lows were: single digits (7), 10s (aka teens) (6) and 20s (8). Five lows were in the colder: negative 10s (1) and negative single digits (4). Five lows were in the warmer 30s.

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 16:39 and twilight ends at 17:10. There's a total of 9 hours, 17 minutes of daylight today and 10 hours, 20 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:50 and sunrise is at 7:22. Chicago's sunset is at 16:37 and twilight ends at 17:08. The moon is waning crescent. Last quarter was yesterday at 4:39. Illumination was 42% at midnight, will be 36% at noon and 31% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 1:21 and moonset is at 11:33. Moonset is at 2:30 early tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 10 hours, 12 minutes which is 41 minutes shorter than yesterday.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is in ten days. My brother will be celebrating a birthday in 16 days. -Bernie-

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