November 18: ORD

Today is November 18th. It's the 322nd day of the year. 43 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 30. I've calculated the 32-year averages at 49 and 34.

On the warm side, in 1979 the high was 71 with a low of 44. Two decades later, in 1999, the high was 71 with a low of 44. In 1991 the high was 67 with a low of 44. A decade after that, in 2001, the high was 63 with a low of 48. In 1985 the high was 60 with a low of 50. In 2004 the high was 61 (our most recent 60s high) with a low of 49. The year prior, in 2003, the high was 61 with a low of 48. Another warm high was 60 in 1998. Another warm low was 43 last year. The record high of 72 was set in 1953. The record warmest low of 55 occurred back in 1941. Over the last 32 years, 29 highs (91%) have been: 30s (6), 40s (10), 50s (7) and 60s (6). Two highs were in the warmer 70s. One high was in the cold 20s.

In looking back through the years to the first November at O'Hare in 1958, the following instances were notable: in 1976 the high was a warm 58 degrees with a low of 26, a 32 degree spread. In 1975 the high was 68 with a low of 44, a warm day. In 1973 the high was 60 with a low of 43, a warm day. In 1972 the high was 35 with a low of 32, a three degree spread. In 1971 the high was 61 with a low of 43, a warm day. In 1969 the high was 55, then the temperature began falling to a low of 15 degrees on the 20th, a 40 degree plunge. In 1968 the high was 39 with a low of 34, a mere five degree spread. In 1959 the high was 32 with a low of 13, a cold day.

More recently, there were no large spreads. There were small spreads of four degrees last year (47/43), five degrees in 1995 (39/34), six degrees in 1992 (41/35), six degrees in 1996 (34/28) and six degrees three years ago (43/37).

On the cool side, in 1989 the high was 26 with a low of 15. In 2000 the high was 32 with a low of 21. Another cold high was 34 in 1996. The record low of 8 was set way back in 1880. The record coldest high of 22 occurred back in 1903. 23 of the last 32 lows (72%) were: 20s (11) and 30s (12). One low was in the cold 10s (a.k.a. teens). Eight lows were in the warmer: 40s (7) and 50s (1). Our most recent 20s low was 21 two years ago.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:17 and sunrise is at 6:47. Sunset is at 16:29 and twilight ends at 17:00. There's a total of 9 hours, 42 minutes of daylight today and 10 hours, 43 minutes between twilights. We are losing two minutes of daylight a day. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:18 and sunrise is at 6:49. The moon is waxing gibbous. Illumination was 88% at midnight, will be 91% at noon and 94% at midnight tonight. Moonset was at 3:43 this morning. Moonrise is at 14:30 this afternoon. Moonset is at 4:45 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 13 hours, 13 minutes which is 36 minutes longer than yesterday.

Thanksgiving is in seven days. Pearl Harbor Day is in 19 days. -Bernie-