February 1: ORD

Today is February 1st. It's the 32nd day of the year. 333 days remain. It's week 5 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 31 and the normal low is 16. The 30-year averages are 33 and 18.

On the warm side, in 1987 the high was 47 with a low of 34. Three years later, in 1990, the high was 52 with a low of 29. A year before that, in 1989, the high was 52 with a low of 28. A decade onward, in 1999, the high was 44 with a low of 35. More recently, in 2006, the high was 48 with a low of 31. In 1998 the high was 45 with a low of 33. A dozen years before that, in 1986, the high was 46 with a low of 30. In 1995 the high was 42 with a low of 32. Other warm lows were 32 in 2003 and 28 in 1983. The record high of 56 was set in 1968 and the record warmest low of 41 was set way back in 1877. 15 of the last 31 highs were 30s. On the warmer side, six highs were 40s and two were 50s. On the colder side, five highs were 20s, two were 10s (a.k.a. teens) and one was in the single digits.

In looking back through the years to the first February at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1978 the high was 18 with a low of 4, a cold day. In 1976 the high was 36 with a low of -3, a 39 degree spread. In 1973 the high was 48 with a low of 42, a six degree spread and warm day. In 1971 the high was 5 with a low of -5, a cold day. In 1970 the high was 47 with a low of 36, a warm day. In 1968 the high was 54 with a low of 37, a warm day and year of the record high. In 1966 the low was a cold -2. In 1965 the high was 15 with a low of -4, a cold day. In 1964 the high was a warm 43 with a low of 27, a warm day. In 1960 the high was 34 with a low of 28, a spread of six degrees. In 1959 the high was 14 with a low of -3, a cold day.

More recently, there were small spreads of two degrees in 2003 (34/32), five degrees in 1983 (33/28) and six degrees last year (30/24).

On the cold side, in 1985 the high was 4 with the record low of -14. In 1996 the high was 10 with a low of -8. A couple of years earlier, in 1994, the high was 11 with a low of -9. In 1980 the high was 21 with a low of -1. A couple of years later, in 1982, the high was 23 with a low of -1. Another cold low was 4 in 2001. The record coldest high of 3 was set way back in 1895. 24 of the last 31 lows have been: 10s (a.k.a. teens)(7), 20s (10) and 30s (7). One low was in the very cold negative 10s, four lows were in the negative single digits and two lows were in the single digits.

Today is a major day in O'Hare's snow history. Last year was the second day of a two-day tally of 7.4 inches. Last year on February 1st, 3.5 inches fell.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:37 and sunrise is at 7:07. Sunset is at 17:08 and twilight ends at 17:37. There's a total of 10 hours, 1 minute of daylight today and 11 hours between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:36 and sunrise is at 7:06. The moon is waning gibbous. Illumination was 94% at midnight, will be 91% at noon and 87% at midnight tonight. Moonset is at 8:12. Moonrise is at 20:39. Moonlight time is 11 hours, 33 minutes and is 49 minutes shorter than yesterday.

National Freedom Day is today. Groundhog Day is tomorrow. Abraham Lincoln's Birthday is 11 days. Valentine's Day is in 13 days. Susan B. Anthony Day is in two weeks. President's Day is in 15 days. -Bernie-