May 3: ORD

Today is May 3rd. It's the 123rd day of the year. 242 days remain. It's week 18 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 66 and the normal low is 42. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 64 and 42.

On the warm side, in 2001 the high was 86 (our only 80s high) with a low of 58. Other warm highs were 79 in 1982, 78 in 1981 and 78 in 1999. Another warm low was 57 in 1993. The record high of 92 occurred in 1955 and the record warmest low of 68 occurred four years later in 1959. 14 of the last 31 highs were 50s. On the warmer side, 17 highs were: 60s (7), 70s (9) and 80s (1).

In looking back through the years to the first May at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: in 1976 the high was a cold 49. In 1973 the high was a cold 52. In 1972 the high was a cold 53. In 1970 the high was 73 with a low of 38, a 35 degree spread. In 1969 the high was a warm 82 with a low of 52, a 30 degree spread and warm day. In 1967 the high was a cold 50 with a low of 31, a cold day. In 1965 the high was a warm 82 with a low of 48, a 34 degree spread. In 1964 the high was a warm 80 with a low of 49, a 31 degree spread. In 1963 the low was a warm 54. In 1962 the high was 77 with a low of 45, a 32 degree spread. In 1959 the high was 89 with a low of 67, a hot day.

More recently, we had a small spread of seven degrees in 1998 (56/49). The large spreads were 37 degrees in 1985 (71/34), 33 degrees in 1980 (76/43), 33 degrees in 1982 (79/46) and 30 degrees in 1981 (78/48).

On the cool side, in 2004 the high was 54 with the record low of 30. The former record low of 32 occurred in 1971. Other cool highs were 50 in 1987, 51 in 1983, 52 in 2005, 53 in 1984 and 53 in 2002. The record coldest high of 41 was set back in 1935. 28 of the last 31 lows were: 30s (12) and 40s (16). Three lows were in the warmer 50s.

Today is not a major day in Chicago's snow history. Stay tuned for an event that occurred three days from now and 21 years ago!

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 5:15 and sunrise was at 5:46. Sunset is at 19:55 and twilight ends at 20:26. There's a total of 14 hours, 9 minutes of daylight today and 15 hours, 11 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 5:14 and sunrise is at 5:45. The moon is waning gibbous. Illumination was 77% at midnight, will be 73% at noon and 68% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 26 minutes past midnight. Moonset was at 9:43. Moonrise is at 1:34 early tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 9 hours, 17 minutes which is 35 minutes longer than yesterday.

National Teacher Day is in two days. Mother's Day is in six days. - Bernie -