June 4: ORD

Today is June 4th. It's the 155th day of the year. 210 days remain. It's week 23 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 72 and 50.

On the warm side, in 1979 the high was 87 with a low of 63. The only other 60s low was 60 in 1992. In 2005 the high was 86 with a low of 57. The record high of 97 was set in 1977. The record warmest low of 75 was set back in 1925. 15 of the past 31 highs were 70s. Five highs were in the warmer 80s. 11 highs were in the cooler: 50s (2) and 60s (9).

In looking back through the years to the first June at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1978 the high was 80 with a low of 46, a 34 degree spread. In 1977 the high was a hot 96 with a low of 58, a 38 degree spread, overall hot day and day of the record high of 97 at Midway. In 1973 the low was a warm 65. In 1971 the high was a hot 90 with a low of 60, a 30 degree spread and hot day. In 1968 the high was 83 with a low of 48, a 35 degree spread. In 1967 the high was 80 with a low of 50, a 30 degree spread. In 1961 the high was 82 with a low of 48, a 34 degree spread.

More recently, there were large spreads of 37 degrees in 1994 (80/43), 34 degrees in 1984 (84/50) and 34 degrees in 1988 (79/45).

On the cool side, in 1993 the high was 53 with a low of 44. In 2001 the high was 55 with a low of 46. In 1982 the high was 61 with a low of 43. In 1990 the high was 61 with a low of 44. Other cool highs were 61 in 2000 and 62 in 1996. The record low of 35 occurred in 1945. The record coolest high of 47 occurred way back in 1891. 29 of the last 31 lows were: 40s (13) and 50s (16). Two lows were in the warmer 60s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight began at 4:44 and sunrise was at 5:18. Sunset is at 20:25 and twilight ends at 21:00. There's a total of 15 hours, 7 minutes of daylight today and 16 hours, 16 minutes between twilights. Tomorrow twilight begins at 4:44 and sunrise is at 5:18. The moon reaches last quarter today at 17:13. Illumination was 57% at midnight, will be 52% at noon and 47% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 48 minutes past midnight this morning. Moonset is at 12:36. Moonrise is at 1:10 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 11 hours, 48 minutes which is 38 minutes longer than yesterday.

Flag Day is in ten days. - Bernie -