June 17: ORD

Today is June 17th. It's the 168th day of the year. 197 days remain. It's week 24 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 80 and the normal low is 58. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 80 and 58.

On the hot side, in 1984 the high was 92 with the co-record warmest low of 77. The other co-record warmest low of 77 occurred in 1957. In 2006 the high was 92 with a low of 72. In 1994 the high was 93 with a low of 70. Three years ago, in 2007, the high was 91 with a low of 70. Another warm high of note was 94 in 1987. Other highs in the 90s were 91 in 1993 and 90 in 1995. The record high of 96 was set in 1957. 27 of the last 31 highs were: 70s (10), 80s (10) and 90s (7). Four 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 1977 the high was 93 with a low of 72, a hot day. In 1976 the high was 85 with a low of 54, a 31 degree spread. In 1974 the high was a cool 65 with a low of 50, a cool day. In 1972 the high was 66 with a low of 46, a cool day. In 1970 the low was a warm 72. In 1965 the high was 69 with a cool low of 45, a cool day. In 1963 the high was 82 with a low of 48, a 34 degree spread. In 1961 the high was 79 with a low of 49, a 30 degree spread. In 1960 the high was a cool 64 with a low of 51, a cool day.

More recently, five spreads were large: 35 degrees in 1987 (94/59), 33 degrees in 2001 (87/54), 32 degrees in 1980 (74/42), 31 degrees in 1982 (76/45) and 30 degrees in 1989 (80/50).

On the cool side, in 1999 the high was 66 with a low of 48. Other cool lows were the record low of 42 in 1980 and a low of 45 in 1982. Other cool highs were 64 in 2000 and 67 in 1986. The record coolest high of 57 occurred way back in 1879. 24 of the last 31 lows have been 50s (15) and 60s (9). Three lows were in the cooler 40s and four lows were in the warmer 70s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 4:42 and sunrise was at 5:16. Sunset is at 20:32 and twilight ends at 21:07. There's a total of 15 hours, 16 minutes of daylight today and 16 hours, 25 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 4:42 and sunrise is at 5:17. The moon is waxing crescent and reaches first quarter tomorrow night at 23:29. Illumination was 28% at midnight, will be 34% at noon and 39% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 11:18 this morning. Moonset is at 8 minutes past midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 12:31 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 12 hours, 42 minutes which is 56 minutes shorter than yesterday.

Father's Day is in three days and Independence Day is in 17 days. - Bernie -