June 1: ORD

Today is June 1st. It's the 152nd day of the year. 213 days remain. It's week 22 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 75 and the normal low is 53. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 77 and 53.

On the hot side, in 1988 the high was 93 with a low of 60, a 33 degree spread. In 2002 the high was 92 with a low of 60, a 32 degree spread. There were six highs of 85 or 86. The most recent was three years ago when the high reached 85. The other warm lows were 65 in 1987, 63 in 1989 and 63 in 1990. The record high of 102 and record warmest low of 74 were set back in 1934. 23 of the past 31 highs were: 70s (12) and 80s (11). Two highs were in the warmer 90s. Six highs were in the cooler 60s.

In looking back through the years to the first June at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1972 the high was 80 with a low of 49, a 31 degree spread. In 1970 the high was 75 with a low of 68, a seven degree spread. In 1966 the low was a cold 40. In 1964 the low was a cold 41. In 1963 the high was 85 with a low of 55, a 30 degree spread. In 1961 the low was a warm 68.

More recently, there were large spreads of 38 degrees in 1986 (86/48), 34 degrees in 1984 (83/49) and 30 degrees in 2005 (80/50).

On the cool side, in 2003 the high was 63 with a low of 38. A decade earlier, in 1993, the high was 64 with the record low of 37. Another cool low was 41 in 1983. Another cool high was 62 in 1994. The record coolest high of 48 was set in 1946. 23 of the last 31 lows were: 50s (14) and 60s (9). Eight lows were in the colder: 30s (2) and 40s (6).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 4:46 and sunrise was at 5:20. Sunset is at 20:23 and twilight ends at 20:57. There's a total of 15 hours, 3 minutes of daylight today and 16 hours, 11 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 4:45 and sunrise is at 5:19. The moon is waning gibbous. Illumination was 82% at midnight, will be 79% at noon and 74% at midnight tonight. Moonset was at 9:34 this morning. Moonrise is at a minute past midnight tonight. Moonset is 10:36 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 9 hours, 34 minutes which is 36 minutes longer than yesterday.

Flag Day is in 13 days. - Bernie -