February 22: ORD

Today is February 22nd. It's the 53rd day of the year. 312 days remain. It's week 8 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. ORD has been the official site of record for Chicago since Thursday, January 17, 1980.

According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the normal high is 37 and the normal low is 21. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 40 and 26.

On the warm side, in 2000 the high was 59 with a low of 39. In 1984 the high was 60 with a low of 32. In 1998 the high was 50 with a low of 37. In 1981 the high was 48 with a low of 37. Four years later, in 1985, the high was 46 with a low of 39, a seven degree spread. In 1992 the high was 50 with a low of 34. Another warm high was 49 in 1982. Other warm lows were 34 in 1980 and 33 in 1983. The record high of 68 was set back in 1922 and the record warmest low of 52 was set in 1930. 21 of the last 31 highs were: 30s (9) and 40s (12). On the warmer side, four highs were: 50s (3) and 60s (1). On the colder side, six highs were 20s.

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 25 with a low of 3, a cold day. In 1977 the high was 53 with a low of 33, a warm day. In 1975 the low was a warm 34. In 1970 the high was 50 with a low of 33, a warm day. In 1969 the high was 41 with a low of 35, a six degree spread. In 1968 the high was 32 with a low of 1, a 31 degree spread and cold day. In 1967 the low was a cold 9. In 1966 the low was a cold 8. In 1965 the high was 15 with a low of 1, a cold day. In 1964 the low was a cold 2 degrees. In 1963 the high was 19 with a low of -8, a cold day. In 1961 the high was a warm 50 with a low of 25.

More recently, there were small spreads of four degrees in 1980 (38/34), five degrees (1993: 24/19, 1994: 29/24), six degrees last year (27/21) and seven degrees in 1996 (39/32).

On the cold side, in 1989 the high was 24 with a low of 10. Other cold highs were 24 in 1993 and 24 last year. The record low of -14 was set way back in 1873 and the record coldest high of 8 was set back in 1901. 25 of the last 31 lows have been: 20s (13) and 30s (12). Six lows were in the 10s (a.k.a. teens).

Today is a major day in Chicago's snow history. In 1994, 4.0 inches fell. This was the first day of a four day stretch in which 16.1 inches fell.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 6:11 and sunrise was at 6:39. Sunset is at 17:35 and twilight ends at 18:03. There's a total of 10 hours, 56 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 52 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:10 and sunrise is at 6:38. The moon reached first quarter yesterday at 18:42 and is waxing gibbous. Illumination was 53% at midnight, will be 58% at noon and 63% at midnight tonight. Moonset was at 1:43. Moonrise is at 10:43. Moonset is at 2:45 tomorrow. Moonlight time is 15 hours which is 18 minutes longer than yesterday.

Washington's Birthday is today. My birthday is in 13 days and a sister of mine, Christina, celebrates a birthday in 16 days. -Bernie-