November 17: ORD

Today is November 17th. It's the 321st day of the year. 44 days remain. It's week 46 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 46 and the normal low is 31. I've calculated the 32-year averages at 48 and 31.

On the warm side, in 2004 the high was 63 (our most recent 60s high) with a low of 54 (our only 50s low). In 1979 the high was 69 with a low of 41. In 2001 the high was 66 with a low of 38. Another warm high was 64 in 1987. Another warm low was 44 last year. The record high of 74 was set in 1975 and previously in 1971 and 1952. The record warmest low of 60 occurred in 1952. Over the last 32 years, 21 highs (66%) have been: 40s (12) and 50s (9). Four highs were in the warmer 60s. Seven highs were in the cold: 20s (1) and 30s (6). Our most recent 50s high was 54 in 2003.

In looking back through the years to the first November at O'Hare in 1958, the following instances were notable: in 1975 the high was 69 with a low of 49, a warm day and year of the record high. In 1972 the high was 36 with a low of 31, a five degree spread. In 1971 the high was 71 with a low of 50, a warm day. In 1969 the high was 51 with a warm low of 46, a mere five degree spread. In 1968 the high was 42 with a low of 39, a mere three degree spread. In 1966 the high was 66 with a low of 45, a warm day. In 1963 the high was 69 with a low of 45, a warm day. In 1961 the high was 36 with a low of 31, a mere five degree spread. In 1959 the high was 13 with a low of 2, a cold day and year of both the record low and record coldest highs. In 1958 the high was 71 with a low of 54, a warm day.

More recently, there were no large spreads. There were small spreads of three degrees last year (47/44), five degrees in 2000 (32/27), six degrees in 1995 (38/32) and six degrees in 2006 (40/34).

On the cold side, in 2005 the high was 28 (our only 20s high) with a low of 15. In 1989 the high was 34 with a low of 15. In 1997 the high was 34 with a low of 17. Another cold high was 32 in 2000. The record low of 3 and record coolest high of 14 were set on the same cold day in 1959. 26 of the last 32 lows (81%) were: 20s (10) and 30s (16). Three lows were in the cold 10s (a.k.a. teens). Three lows were in the warmer: 40s (2) and 50s (1).

The years 2004 and 2005 were opposites temperatures-wise. 2004 was the warmest day (19.5 degrees above normal) while 2005 was the coldest (17.5 degrees below normal).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:16 and sunrise is at 6:46. Sunset is at 16:30 and twilight ends at 17:00. There's a total of 9 hours, 44 minutes of daylight today and 10 hours, 44 minutes between twilights. We are losing two minutes of daylight a day. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:17 and sunrise is at 6:47. The moon is waxing gibbous. Illumination was 81% at midnight, will be 85% at noon and 88% at midnight tonight. Moonset was at 2:42 this morning. Moonrise is at 14:05 this afternoon. Moonset is at 3:43 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 12 hours, 37 minutes which is 37 minutes longer than yesterday.

Thanksgiving is in eight days. Pearl Harbor Day is in 20 days. -Bernie-