February 14: ORD

Today is February 14th. It's the 45th day of the year. 320 days remain. It's week 7 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 34 and the normal low is 19. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 36 and 20.

On the warm side, in 2005 the high was 49 with a low of 37. In 1984 the high was 55 with a low of 28. In 2006 the high was 56 with a low of 24, a 32 degree spread. Other warm highs were 47 in 1999 and 46 in 2002. Other warm lows were 33 in 1998 and 31 in 1992. The record high of 62 and record warmest low of 43 were set on the same day in 1954. 17 of the last 31 highs were 30s. On the warmer side, nine highs were: 40s (7) and 50s (2). On the colder side, two highs were 20s and one high was a 10 (a.k.a. teens).

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 27 with a low of 21, a six degree spread. In 1977 the high was 30 with a low of 23, a seven degree spread. In 1976 the high was a warm 47 degrees. In 1974 the high was 29 with a low of 24, a five degree spread. In 1971 the low was a cold 5 degrees. In 1970 the high was 23 with a low of 8, a cold day. In 1967 the high was 47 with a low of 35, a warm day. In 1964 the low was a cold 7. In 1963 the high was 20 with a low of -3, a cold day. In 1961 the high was a warm 49 with a low of 28, a warm day.

More recently, there were small spreads of two degrees in 1990 (28/26), three degrees in 1992 (34/31). The lone large spread was 30 degrees in 1994 (44/14).

On the cold side, in 1985 the high was 19 with a low of 4. Three years ago the high was 21 with a low of 7. Other cold lows were 6 in both 1986 and 1995. The record low of -11 was set back in 1905 and the record coldest high of 8 was set in 1943. 24 of the last 31 lows have been: 10s (a.k.a. teens) (11) and 20s (13). Even colder, four lows have been single digits. On the warmer side, three lows were 30s .

Today is a major day in Chicago's snow history. In 2007, 1.4 inches fell. This was the third day of a three day, 11.6 inch storm. In 1990, 8.3 inches fell. This was the first day of a two day, 9.7 inch storm known as the Valentine's Day Blizzard.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 6:22 and sunrise was at 6:51. Sunset was at 17:25 and twilight ended at 17:53. There's a total of 10 hours, 34 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 31 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:21 and sunrise is at 6:50. The moon is waxing crescent. Illumination was 0% at midnight, will be 0% at noon and 1% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 6:51. Moonset is at 18:17. Moonlight time is 11 hours, 26 minutes which is 38 minutes longer than yesterday.

Valentine's Day and the Daytona 500 are today. President's Day and Susan B. Anthony Day are tomorrow. -Bernie-