May 19: ORD

Today is May 19th. It's the 139th day of the year. 226 days remain. It's week 20 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 71 and the normal low is 49. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 71 and 49.

On the warm side, in 1996 the high was 90 with the warmest and only 70s low of 72. In 1998 the high was 91 with a low of 66. Another high of note was 83 in 1987. The record high of 94 was set in 1975 and tied in 1977. The record warmest low of 74 was set in 1911. 22 highs over the last 31 years have been: 60s (9) and 70s (13). Six highs were in the warmer: 80s (4) and 90s (2). Three highs were in the cooler: 40s (1) and 50s (2).

In looking back through the years to the first May at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1977 the high was 93 with a low of 63, a hot day, 30 degree spread and year of the record high. In 1976 the high was 76 with a low of 39, a 37 degree spread. In 1975 the high was 91 with a low of 66, a hot day and year of the record high. In 1972 the high was a warm 83. In 1970 the high was a warm 85 with a low of 55, a 30 degree spread. In 1964 the high was a hot 86 with a low of 47, a 39 degree spread and hot day. In 1962 the high was 91 with a low of 69, a hot day. In 1960 the high was 67 with a warm low of 61, a six degree spread. In 1959 the high was 87 with a low of 63, a hot day.

More recently, we had large spreads of 38 degrees in 1985 (79/41), 34 degrees in 1992 (75/41), 32 degrees in 1987 (83/51), 30 degrees in 1988 (74/44) and 30 degrees in 1995 (76/46).

On the cool side, in 2000 the high was 48 (the only 40s high) with a low of 44, a four degree spread. Two years later, in 2002, the high was 54 with a low of 38. In 1986 the high was 55 with a low of 42. The record low of 36 was set in 1993 and this tied the original record low which was set way back in 1894. The record coolest high of 41 was set way back in 1895. 26 of the last 31 lows were: 40s (17) and 50s (9). Two lows were in the colder 30s. Three lows were in the warmer: 60s (2) and 70s (1).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 4:56 and sunrise was at 5:28. Sunset is at 20:12 and twilight ends at 20:44. There's a total of 14 hours, 44 minutes of daylight today and 15 hours, 48 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 4:55 and sunrise is at 5:28. The moon is waxing crescent. Illumination was 31% at midnight, will be 36% at noon and 42% at midnight tonight. Moonset was 38 minutes past midnight. Moonrise was at 11:00 this morning. Moonset is 1:10 in the morning tomorrow. Moonrise is at 12:14 tomorrow, just after noon. Moonlight time is 13 hours, 38 minutes which is 37 minutes shorter than yesterday.

National Maritime Day is in three days and Memorial Day is in 12 days. - Bernie -