February 9: ORD

Today is February 9th. It's the 40th day of the year. 325 days remain. It's week 6 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 33 and the normal low is 17. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 34 and 16.

On the warm side, in 1999 the high was 54 with a low of 33. In 1990 the high was 51 with a low of 31. A decade later, in 2000, the high was 48 with a low of 33. A couple of years later, in 2002, the high was 50 with a low of 30. Last year the high was 53 with a low of 26. In 1996 the high was 47 with a low of 30. Five years earlier, in 1991, the high was 47 with a low of 28. A decade later, in 2001, the high was 54 with a low of 20. Other warm highs were 46 in both 1984 and 1998. Another warm low was 29 in 1983. The record high of 56 was set way back in 1886. The record warmest low of 47 was set in 1966. 21 of the last 31 highs were: 20s (6), 30s (10) and 40s (5). On the warmer side, five highs were 50s. On the colder side, five highs were: single digits (1) and 10s (a.k.a. teens) (4).

In looking back through the years to the first February at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: in 1976 the high was a warm 46 degrees. In 1975 the high was 4 with a low of -7, a cold day. In 1974 the high was 24 with a cold low of 2, a cold day. In 1973 the high was 22 with a cold low of 2, another cold day. In 1972 the high was 20 with a low of -2, a cold day. In 1971 the high was 14 with a low of -2, yet another cold day. In 1968 the low was a cold 3 degrees. In 1966 the high was 55 with a low of 47, a warm day. In 1965 the high was 49 with a low of 31, another warm day. In 1960 the high was 35 with a warm low of 29, a six degree spread.

More recently, there were small spreads of four degrees in 1983 (33/29) and seven degrees in 2005 (31/24).

On the cold side, in 1979 the high was 8 with a low of -6. Three years later, in 1982, the high was 14 with a low of -9. A dozen years later, in 1994, the high was 15 with a low of -7. Five years earlier, in 1989, the high was 18 with a low of -4. Three years ago the high was 17 with a low of 2. In 1986 the high was 20 with a low of 2. Other cold lows were 4 in 2003 and 5 in 1985. The record low of -21 and record coldest high of -8 were set on the same day way back in 1899. 22 of the last 31 lows have been: single digits (6), 10s (a.k.a. teens) (7) and 20s (9). Even colder, four lows have been in the negative single digits. On the warmer side, five lows were in the 30s.

Today is a major day in Chicago's snow history. In 1981, 0.4 inches fell. This was the first day of a three day, 11.6 inch storm. This storm comprised 73% of the month's total.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 6:28 and sunrise was at 6:57. Sunset is at 17:18 and twilight ends at 17:47. Chicago's sunset/end of twilight times are 17:16 and 17:45. There's a total of 10 hours, 21 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 19 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:27 and sunrise is at 6:56. The moon is waning crescent. Illumination was 20% at midnight, will be 16% at noon and 13% at midnight tonight. Moonries was at 4:17. Moonset is at 13:13. Moonrise is at 4:59 tomorrow. Moonlight time is 8 hours, 56 minutes which is 7 minutes longer than yesterday.

Abraham Lincoln's Birthday is in three days. Valentine's Day is in five days. The Daytona 500 is in five days. Susan B. Anthony Day is in six days. President's Day is in a week. -Bernie-