February 18: ORD

Today is February 18th. It's the 49th day of the year. 316 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 36 and the normal low is 20. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 37 and 21.

On the warm side, in 1981 the high was the record high of 62 with the record warmest low of 45. In 1997 the high was 55 with a low of 42. Three years earlier, in 1994, the high was 57 with a low of 38. A year later, in 1995, the high was 55 with a low of 29. In 1984 the high was 47 with a low of 35. In 1992 the high was 46 with a low of 35. Another warm high was 50 in 2002. There were four other warm lows: 37 in 1998, 34 in 1991, 33 in 1986 and 32 in 1983. 18 of the last 31 highs were: 30s (9) and 40s (9). On the warmer side, four highs were 50s and one high was a 60. On the colder side, eight highs were: 20s (5), 10s (a.k.a. teens) (2) and single digits (1).

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 22 with a low of -2, a cold day. In 1976 the high was 52 with a low of 35, a warm day. In 1975 the high was 33 with a low of 31, a two degree spread. In 1974 the high was 49 with a low of 33, a warm day. In 1971 the high was 45 with a warm low of 38, a seven degree spread and warm day. In 1968 the low was a cold 7 degrees. In 1963 the high was a warm 48. In 1962 the high was 31 with a low of 26, a five degree spread. In 1961 the high was 60 with a low of 29, a 31 degree spread and warm day. In 1959 the high was 21 with a low of 6, a cold day.

More recently, there were small spreads of three degrees in 1998 (40/37), four degrees in 1982 (35/31), four degrees in 2000 (32/28), six degrees in 1983 (38/32) and seven degrees in 1986 (40/33).

On the cold side, in 2006 the high was 8 with a low of -7. In 1979 the high was 12 with a low of 0. In 1993 the high was 18 with a low of -3. Three years ago the high was 22 with a low of 11. Other cold lows were 7 degrees (1980, 2001 and two years ago). The record low of -14 and record coldest high of 0 were set on the same day back in 1936. 16 of the last 30 lows have been: 20s (8) and 30s (8). On the colder side, 13 lows were: 10s (a.k.a. teens) (6), single digits (5) and negative single digits (2). On the warmer side, two lows were 40s.

Today is a major day in Chicago's snow history. Back in 1908 at the U.S. Courthouse, 11.5 inches fell. In 2000, 11.1 inches fell and this accounted for 96% of the month's total of 11.6 inches.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 6:17 and sunrise was at 6:45. Sunset is at 17:30 and twilight ends at 17:58. There's a total of 10 hours, 45 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 41 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:15 and sunrise is at 6:44. The moon is waxing crescent. Illumination was 15% at midnight, will be 19% at noon and 23% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 8:18. Moonset is at 22:24. Moonrise is at 8:44 tomorrow. Moonlight time is 14 hours, 6 minutes which is 40 minutes longer than yesterday.

Washington's Birthday is in four days. My birthday is in 17 days and a sister of mine, Christina, celebrates a birthday in 20 days. -Bernie-