June 3: ORD

Today is June 3rd. It's the 154th day of the year. 211 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 70 and 52.

On the warm side, in 1981 the high was 81 with a low of 62. Two years earlier, in 1979, the high was 84 with a low of 57. The record high of 95 was set way back in 1895. The record warmest low of 69 was set in 1944. 25 of the past 31 highs were: 60s (14) and 70s (11). Four highs were in the warmer 80s. Two highs were in the cooler 50s.

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 79 with a low of 42, a 37 degree spread. In 1973 the low was a warm 65. In 1972 the high was a hot 92 with a low of 64, a hot day. In 1971 the high was 85 with a low of 53, a 32 degree spread. In 1970 the high was a cool 62. In 1969 the high was a cool 57 with a low of 45, a cool day. In 1967 the high was 80 with a low of 43, a 37 degree spread. In 1963 the high was a hot 88.

More recently, there were large spreads of 35 degrees in 1986 (75/40), 32 degrees in 1984 (81/49), 32 degrees in 1994 (73/41) and 30 degrees in 1992 (80/50). The one small spread was five degrees in 1999 (65/60).

On the cool side, in 1993 the high was 54 with a low of 47, a seven degree spread. In 1982 the high was 60 with a low of 43. Last year the high was 61 with a low of 43. In 2001 the high was 55 with a low of 49, a six degree spread. Other cold lows were 40 in 1986 and 41 in 1994. Other cool highs were 61 in 1998, 61 in 2003, 63 in 1985 and 64 in 2000. The record low of 37 occurred in 1945. The record coolest high of 51 occurred back in 1910. 26 of the last 31 lows were: 40s (13) and 50s (13). 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 20:25 and twilight ends at 20:59. There's a total of 15 hours, 6 minutes of daylight today and 16 hours, 14 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 4:44 and sunrise is at 5:18. The moon is waning gibbous. Illumination was 66% at midnight, will be 61% at noon and 57% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 26 minutes past midnight this morning. Moonset is at 11:36. Moonrise is at 48 minutes past midnight tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 11 hours, 10 minutes which is 35 minutes longer than yesterday.

Flag Day is in 11 days. - Bernie -