April 3: ORD

Today is April 3rd. It's the 93rd day of the year. 272 days remain. It's week 14 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 53 and the normal low is 34. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 56 and 36.

On the warm side, in 1981 the high was 75 with a low of 59. In 1999 the high was 73 with a low of 52. Two years earlier, in 1997, the high was 67 with a low of 52. Other warm highs were 70 in 1996, 70 three years ago and 65 in 1991. The record high of 81 was set in 1956 and the record warmest low of 60 was set back in 1928. 27 of the last 31 highs were: 40s (9), 50s (9) and 60s (9). On the warmer side, four highs were 70s.

In looking back through the years to the first April at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1978 the high was a warm 70 with a low of 37, a 33 degree spread. In 1976 the high was a warm 72 with a low of 45, a warm day. In 1975 the high was 31 with a low of 19, a cold day. In 1974 the high was 65 with a low of 50, a warm day. In 1973 the high was 44 with a low of 38, a six degree spread. In 1971 the high was a cold 40. In 1968 the high was 62 with a warm low of 48, a warm day. In 1964 the high was a cold 38. In 1963 the high was a warm 70 with a low of 39, a 31 degree spread and warm day. In 1960 the high was 42 with a low of 37, a five degree spread.

More recently, we had a small spread of three degrees in 1983 (40/37). There were large spreads of 32 degrees in 2004 (59/27), 33 degrees in 2005 (64/31), 35 degrees two years ago (70/35), 37 degrees in 1982 (62/25) and 38 degrees in 1996 (70/32).

On the cold side, in 1987 the high was 40 with the record low of 17. Another cold low was 22 in 1993. Other cold highs were 40 in 1983 and 40 in 2002. The record coldest high of 25 was set in 1954. 16 of the last 31 lows were 30s. Six lows were in the colder: 10s (a.k.a. teens)(1) and 20s (5). Nine lows were in the warmer: 40s (6) and 50s (3).

Today is a major day in Chicago's snow history. At O'Hare and Midway in 1975, this was the second day of a two day storm. At O'Hare, 0.4 inches of an 11.1 inch total occurred. At Midway, 0.4 inches of a 9.8 inch total occurred.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 6:04 and sunrise was at 6:33. Sunset is at 19:21 and twilight ends at 19:50. There's a total of 12 hours, 48 minutes of daylight today and 13 hours, 46 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:02 and sunrise is at 6:31. The moon is waning gibbous. Illumination was 80% at midnight, will be 75% at noon and 71% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 4 minutes past midnight. Moonset is at 9:03. Moonrise is at 1:02 tomorrow. Moonlight time is 8 hours, 59 minutes which is 43 minutes longer than yesterday.

Easter is tomorrow. -Bernie-