April 14: ORD

Today is April 14th. It's the 104th day of the year. 261 days remain. It's week 15 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 57 and the normal low is 37. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 59 and 39.

On the warm side, in 2006 the high was 81 with the record tying warmest low of 63. The record warmest low of 63 was originally set way back in 1883. Three years before, in 2003, the high was the record high of 85 with a low of 48, a 37 degree spread. The old record high of 83 occurred back in 1941. A year before, in 2002, the high was 77 with a low of 41, a 36 degree spread. In 1991 the high was 69 with a low of 48. Other warm highs were 76 in 2000 and 71 in 1994. 21 of the last 31 highs were: 50s (13) and 60s (8). On the warmer side, five highs were: 70s (3) and 80s (2). On the colder side, five highs were: 30s (1) and 40s (4).

In looking back through the years to the first April at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1976 the high was a warm 80 with a low of 47, a 33 degree spread and warm day. In 1969 the low was a warm 49. In 1967 the high was 74 with a low of 58, a warm day. In 1966 the high was 59 with a low of 27, a 32 degree spread. In 1963 the high was 59 with a low of 28, a 31 degree spread. In 1962 the high was a cold 45. In 1960 the high was 64 with a warm low of 54, a warm day.

More recently, we had large spreads of 39 degrees in 2004 (68/29), 36 degrees in 2000 (76/40) and 30 degrees in 2005 (63/33).

On the cold side, in 1980 the high was 35 with a low of 31, a four degree spread. Other cold highs were 44 in 1996 and last year. The record low of 23 was set way back in 1907 and tied back in 1943. The record coldest high of 32 was set way back in 1893. 28 of the last 31 lows were: 30s (16) and 40s (12). Two lows were in the colder 20s. One low was in the warmer 60s. No lows have been in the 50s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 5:45 and sunrise was at 6:14. Sunset is at 19:34 and twilight ends at 20:03. There's a total of 13 hours, 20 minutes of daylight today and 14 hours, 18 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 5:44 and sunrise is at 6:13. The moon is new today as of 7:29. Illumination was 0% at midnight, will be 0% at noon and 1% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 5:52 this morning. Moonset is at 20:12. Moonrise is at 6:22 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 14 hours, 20 minutes which is 41 minutes longer than yesterday.

A niece of mine, Sara, celebrates a birthday in two days. - Bernie -