May 7: ORD

Today is May 7th. It's the 127th day of the year. 238 days remain. It's week 19 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 67 and the normal low is 44. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 67 and 46.

On the warm side, in 2000 the high was 77 with a low of 64. In 1979 the high was 81 with a low of 57. In 1993 the high was 78 with a low of 55. Last year the high was 77 with a low of 56. Other 80s highs were 84 in 1988 and 83 three years ago. Other mid 70s highs were 75 in 1990, 75 in 1995 and 73 in 1985. The record high of 87 was set in 1964 and the record warmest low of 68 was set way back in 1880. 28 of the last 31 highs were: 50s (9), 60s (8) and 70s (11). On the warmer side, three highs were 80s.

In looking back through the years to the first May at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: in 1978 the high was a cold 53 and in 1977 the high was a cold 54. In 1976 the high was a cold 52 with a low of 33, a cold day. In 1974 the high was 54 with a low of 32, a cool day. In 1973 the high was 60 with a low of 53, a seven degree spread. In 1972 the high was a cold 47 with a low of 42, a five degree spread. In 1970 the high was 78 with a low of 38, a 40 degree spread. In 1969 the high was 76 with a warm low of 58, a warm day. In 1966 the high was 73 with a low of 35, a 38 degree spread. In 1965 the high was 83 with a low of 61, a warm day. In 1964 the high was 85 with a low of 61, the year of the record high (87 at Midway) and a warm day. In 1963 the high was a warm 81 with a low of 49, a 32 degree spread. In 1960 the high was a cold 51 with a low of 36, a cold day.

More recently, we had small spreads of four degrees in 1998 (59/55) and five degrees in 1999 (58/53). The large spreads were 44 degrees in 1988 (84/40), 37 degrees in 1992 (71/34), 36 degrees three years ago (83/47), 35 degrees in 1985 (73/38) and 34 degrees in 2006 (71/37).

On the cool side, in 1989 the high was 57 with the record low of 29. Another cold low was 32 in 1981. Other cool highs were 53 in 1994 and 55 in 2004. The record coldest high of 43 occurred in 1931. 14 of the last 31 lows were 40s. Seven lows were in the colder: 20s (1) and 30s (6). Ten lows were in the warmer: 50s (9) and 60s (1).

Today is not a major day in Chicago's snow history. Stay tuned, for in four days we had what was our last snow event for the Spring.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 5:10 and sunrise was at 5:41. Sunset is at 19:59 and twilight ends at 20:31. There's a total of 14 hours, 18 minutes of daylight today and 15 hours, 21 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 5:09 and sunrise is at 5:40. The moon is waning crescent. Illumination was 40% at midnight, will be 35% at noon and 31% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 2:24 early this morning. Moonset is at 13:48. Moonrise is at 2:46 early tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 11 hours, 24 minutes which is 36 minutes longer than yesterday.

Mother's Day is in two days. - Bernie -