January 12: ORD

Today is January 12th. It's the 12th day of the year. 353 days remain. It's week 2 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. Observations have been official at O'Hare since Thursday, January 17, 1980.

According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the normal high is 29 and the normal low is 14. The 32-year averages are 34 and 18.

On the warm side, in 2005 the high was the record high of 62 with a low of 34. The record high of 62 was originally set way back in 1890. In 2006 the high was 57 (one of just two 50s highs in the history of O'Hare) with a low of 34. In 1995 the high was 47 with a low of 37. In 2007 the high was 48 with a low of 33. In 1992 the high was 40 with a low of 34, a six degree spread. A decade later, in 2002, the high was 41 with a low of 29. In 1987 the high was 44 with a low of 25. In 2004 the high was 39 with a low of 30. Other warm highs were 42 in 1989 and 41 three years ago. Other warm lows were 27 in 2000 and 26 in 1996. The record warmest low of 42 was set back in 1932 and originally way back in 1890. 27 of the last 32 highs (84%) were: 20s (8), 30s (11) and 40s (8). On the warmer side, one high was in the 50s and one high was in the 60s. On the cold side, two highs were 10s (aka teens) and one high was in the single digits.

In looking back through the years to the first January at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1977 the high was 4 with a low of -7, a cold day. In 1975 the high was a cold 12 with a low of 5, a cold day. In 1974 the high was 4 with a low of -13, another cold day. In 1972 the high was a warm 43. In 1969 the high was 16 with a low of -5, a cold day. In 1968 the high was 26 with a low of 20, a six degree spread and the exact same temperatures as the previous day. In 1967 the low was a warm 28. In 1964 the high was 23 with a low of 19, a four degree spread. In 1963 the low was a cold two below zero. In 1961 the high was 46 with a low of 26, a warm day. In 1960 the high was 58 with a low of 37, a warm day. That high of 58 was the other of only two 50s highs for this date in the history of O'Hare.

More recently, we had three days of small spreads. One was four degrees: 30/26 in 1996. Two others were seven degrees: 20/13 in 1984 and 29/22 in 1991.

On the cold side, in 1997 the high was the record coldest high of 2 with a low of -7. In 1985 the high was 14 with a low of -1. Three years before that, in 1982, the high and low were also 14 and -1. Another cold low was -1 in 1981. The record low of -14 was set back in 1918. 19 of the last 32 lows (59%) were: 10s (aka teens) (9) and 20s (10). Our most recent 10s low was 11 in 1999. Seven lows were in the cold: negative single digits (4) and single digits (3). Six lows were in the warmer 30s.

Today is a major day in O'Hare's snow history. In 1979, 2.6 inches fell. This was the second day of a 21.7 inch, seven day storm. Back in 1903 at the Auditorium Tower in Chicago, 11.3 inches fell. This was the station of record at the time.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:50 and sunrise is at 7:21. Sunset is at 16:43 and twilight ends at 17:14. There's a total of 9 hours, 22 minutes of daylight today and 10 hours, 24 minutes between twilights. We gained a minute of daylight from yesterday. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:49 and sunrise is at 7:20. The moon is waxing crescent and reaches first quarter this morning at 5:31. Illumination was 48% at midnight, will be 53% at noon and 58% at midnight tonight. Moonset was at 0:16. Moonrise is at 10:58 this morning. Moonset is at 1:17 early tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 13 hours, 18 minutes which is 10 minutes shorter than yesterday.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is in five days. -Bernie-