August 14: ORD

Today is August 14th. It's the 226th day of the year. 139 days remain. It's week 33 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 82 and the normal low is 63. I've calculated the 31-year averages at 81 and 62.

On the hot side, in 1995 the high was 95 with the record warmest low of 79. In 1988 the high was 92 with a very warm low of 75. There were only two other 90s highs: 90 in both 1983 and a decade later in 1993. The record high of 99 was set in 1944. Over the last 31 years, 26 highs (84%) were: 70s (13) and 80s (13). Four highs were in the warmer 90s and one high was in the cooler 60s.

In looking back through the years to the first August at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1970 from the 11th through the 17th, highs were at least 85. The warmest was 88 on the 15th. Lows were at least 62 except for 57 on the 17th. In 1969 from the 12th through the 18th, highs were at least 85. The warmest was 88 on the 14th. Lows were at least 68 except for 61 on the 12th. The warmest low was 74 on the 14th. In 1967 the low was a cool 48 which is equal to the day's record low. In 1964 the high was 76 with a cool low of 42, a 34 degree spread and a cool day. That low of 42 was cooler than the record low. In 1963 the high was 72 with a low of 48, a cool day. That low of 48 was also equal to the day's record low. In 1962 the high was a cool 70. In 1959 the low was a warm 75.

More recently, there was a large spread of 33 degrees in 1984 (84/51).

On the cool side, in 2004 the high was 70 with a low of 50. The other cool low was 51 in 1984. Other cool highs were 67 in 1992 and 70 in 1979. The record low of 48 was set at Midway in 1964. The record coolest high of 65 was set way back in 1885. The official thermometer was located near Lake Michigan at the time. Over the last 31 years, 29 lows (94%) were: 50s (12) and 60s (17). Two lows were in the warmer 70s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:29 and sunrise was at 6:00. Sunset is at 19:56 and civil twilight ends at 20:26. Nautical twilight ends at 21:03 and astronomical twilight ends at 21:43. There's a total of 13 hours, 56 minutes of daylight today and 14 hours, 57 minutes between twilights. We are losing two or three minutes of daylight a day. Tomorrow twilight begins at 5:30 and sunrise is at 6:01. The moon is waxing crescent. Illumination was 23% at midnight, will be 29% at noon and 34% at midnight tonight. Moonrise was at 11:43 this morning. Moonset is at 22:07 tonight. Moonrise is at 12:56 tomorrow afternoon. Moonlight time is 10 hours, 24 minutes which is 43 minutes shorter than yesterday. -Bernie-