June 20: ORD

Today is June 20th. It's the 171st day of the year. 194 days remain. It's week 25 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 59. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 83 and 60.

On the hot side, in 1988 the high was the record high of 104 with a low of 73, a 31 degree spread. This high of 104 tied July 13, 1995 as the highest temperature ever in O'Hare's history. In 1995 the high was 95 with a low of 74. Two years later, in 1997, the high was 89 with a low of 74. In 2002 the high was 91 with a low of 72. Other hot highs were 94 in 1991, 91 in 1998, 90 in 1979 and 90 in 1994. The record warmest low of 78 occurred in 1953. 23 of the last 31 highs were: 70s (13) and 80s (10). Seven highs were in the hot: 90s (6) and 100s (1). One high was in the cooler 50s. There have been no highs in the 60s the last 31 years.

In looking back through the years to the first June at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1974 the high was 90 with a low of 60, a 30 degree spread. In 1970 the high was a cool 65. In 1969 the high was a cool 62 with a low of 49, a cool day. In 1963 the high was 63 with a low of 46, a cool day. In 1961 the high was 65 with a low of 47, a cool day. In 1960 the high was a cool 68.

More recently, the spreads were large: 34 degrees in 2005 (86/52), 33 degrees in 1980 (76/43), 33 degrees in 1985 (77/44) and 32 degrees in 1991 (94/62).

On the cool side, in 1992 the high was the record coolest high of 57 with the record low of 43. Other cool lows were the co-record low of 43 in 1980, 44 in 1985 and 45 in 2003. 15 of the last 31 lows were 60s. Twelve lows were in the cooler: 40s (5) and 50s (7). 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 5:17. Sunset is at 20:33 and twilight ends at 21:08. There's a total of 15 hours, 16 minutes of daylight today and 16 hours, 26 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 4:42 and sunrise is at 5:17. The moon is waxing gibbous. Illumination was 62% at midnight, will be 67% at noon and 72% at midnight tonight. Moonset was at 1:01 this morning. Moonrise is at 14:55 and moonset is at 1:30 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 10 hours, 6 minutes which is 45 minutes shorter than yesterday.

Father's Day is today and Independence Day is in two weeks. - Bernie -