February 2: ORD

Today is February 2nd. It's the 33rd day of the year. 332 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 31-year averages are 31 and 17.

On the warm side, in 1991 the high was 49 with a low of 30. Four years earlier, in 1987, the high was 50 with a low of 25. Five years later, in 1992, the high was the record high of 51 with a low of 24. In 1999 the high was 42 with a low of 33. Four years after that, in 2003, the high was 39 with a low of 34. In 1997 the high was 42 with a low of 29. In 2006 the high was 43 with a low of 27. A couple of decades earlier, in 1986, the high was 37 with a low of 32. Another warm high was 45 in 1984. Other warm lows were 31 in 1995 and 29 in 1990. The record warmest low of 38 was set way back in 1877. 12 of the last 31 highs were 30s. On the warmer side, six highs were 40s and two were 50s. On the colder side, six highs were 20s, three were 10s (a.k.a. teens), one was in the single digits and one was in the negative 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 16 with a low of 3, a cold day. In 1977 the low was a cold 4. In 1976 the high was 7 with a low of -13, a cold day. In 1974 the high was 30 with a low of 28, a two degree spread. In 1973 the high was 46 with a low of 34, a warm day. In 1972 the high was 33 with a low of 29, a four degree spread. In 1971 the high was 18 with a low of -10, a cold day. In 1970 the high was 41 with a low of 1, a 40 degree spread. In 1967 the high was 27 with a low of 20, a seven degree spread. In 1965 the high was 0 with a low of -14, a cold day. In 1963 the high was 35 with a low of -1, a 36 degree spread. In 1961 the high was 17 with a low of 11, a six degree spread. In 1960 the high was 29 with a low of 24, a five degree spread. In 1959 the high was 16 with a low of -9, a cold day.

More recently, there were small spreads of two degrees in 1990 (31/29), four degrees in 1995 (35/31), five degrees two years ago (30/25) and seven degrees in 1989 (28/21).

On the cold side, in 1996 the high was the record coldest high of -5 with the record low of -16. In 1985 the high was 7 with a low of -11. In 2001 the high was 12 with a low of -2. Three years ago the high was 12 with a low of 6. In 1981 the high was 19 with a low of 0. A year earlier, in 1980, the high was 22 with a low of -3. 18 of the last 31 lows have been: 10s (a.k.a. teens)(8) and 20s (10). On the colder side, two lows were in the very cold negative 10s, two lows were in the negative single digits and four lows were in the single digits. Five lows were in the warmer 30s.

Today is not a major day in O'Hare's snow history.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:36 and sunrise is at 7:06. Sunset is at 17:09 and twilight ends at 17:39. Chicago's sunset/end of twilight times are 17:07 and 17:37. There's a total of 10 hours, 3 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 3 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:35 and sunrise is at 7:04. The moon is waning gibbous. Illumination was 87% at midnight, will be 83% at noon and 78% at midnight tonight. Moonset was at 8:39. Moonrise is at 21:54. Moonlight time is 10 hours, 45 minutes and is 48 minutes shorter than yesterday.

Groundhog Day is today. Abraham Lincoln's Birthday is in ten days. Valentine's Day is in 12 days. Susan B. Anthony Day is in 13 days. President's Day is in two weeks. -Bernie-