June 2: ORD

Today is June 2nd. It's the 153rd day of the year. 212 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 76 and the normal low is 53. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 73 and 53.

On the warm side, in 1990 the high was 85 with a low of 64. Another high of note is 86 degrees which occurred two years ago. Another warm low was 65 three years ago. The record high of 92 was set in 1944. The record warmest low of 73 was set in 1943. 13 of the past 31 highs were in the 70s. Eight highs were in the warmer 80s. Ten highs were in the cooler: 50s (2) and 60s (8).

In looking back through the years to the first June at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1969 the high was a cool 57 with a low of 48, a cool day. In 1967 the high was 78 with a low of 45, a 33 degree spread. In 1966 the high was 78 with a cold low of 38, a 40 degree spread. In 1965 the high was a cool 63. In 1964 the high was 68 with a cool low of 39, a cool day. In 1962 the high was a cold 58 with a low of 48, a cool day. In 1961 the high was 82 with a low of 50, a 32 degree spread.

More recently, there were large spreads of 31 degrees in 1992 (77/46), 31 degrees in 1998 (78/47) and 30 degrees last year (86/56). The one small spread was seven degrees in 1993 (58/51).

On the cool side, in 1986 the high was 60 with a low of 45. In 2003 the high was 68 with the record low of 38, a 30 degree spread. The former record low of 43 occurred in 1910. In 2001 the high was 56 with a low of 50, a six degree spread. Other cool highs were 58 in 1993, 60 last year and 64 in 1985. The record coolest high of 51 was set in 1929. 18 of the last 31 lows were 50s. Eight lows were in the colder: 30s (1) and 40s (7). Five lows were in the warmer 60s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 4:45 and sunrise was at 5:19. Sunset is at 20:24 and twilight ends at 20:58. There's a total of 15 hours, 5 minutes of daylight today and 16 hours, 13 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 4:45 and sunrise is at 5:19. The moon is waning gibbous. Illumination was 74% at midnight, will be 70% at noon and 66% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at a minute past midnight this morning. Moonset is at 10:36. Moonrise is at 26 minutes past midnight tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 10 hours, 35 minutes which is 61 minutes longer than yesterday.

Flag Day is in 12 days. - Bernie -