January 18: ORD

Today is January 18th. It's the 18th day of the year. 347 days remain. It's week 3 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 28 and 12.

On the warm side, in 1986 the high was 45 with a low of 34. A decade later, in 1996, the high was the record high of 61 with a low of 13, a 48 degree spread. In 1996 the former record high of 57 (1933) was broken early in the morning before the temperature dropped 48 degrees. It was one of the worst temperature drops in Chicago's history. In 1989 the high was 45 with a low of 28. Six years later, in 1995, the high was 43 with a low of 29. In 1981 the high was 43 with a low of 26. In 1988 the high was 36 with a low of 32, a four degree spread. The record warmest low of 47 was set in 1973. Other warm lows were 27 in 1990, 27 last year and 26 in 1980. 21 of the last 32 highs (66%) were: 20s (10) and 30s (11). On the warmer side, four highs were 40s and one high was in the 60s. There's been no highs in the 50s. On the colder side, six highs were: 10s (aka teens) (3), single digits (2) and one negative 10 (aka negative teen). There were no highs in the negative 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 low was a cold -3. In 1976 the high was 22 with a cold low of -7, a cold day. In 1975 the low was a warm 28. In 1974 the high was 42 with a low of 35, a seven degree spread and warm day. In 1973 the high was 53 with a low of 47, a six degree spread a another warm day. In 1972 the high was 47 with a low of 36, a warm day. In 1971 the high was 18 with a cold low of -1, a cold day. In 1970 the high was 11 with a low of -2, a cold day. In 1969 the high was 35 with a warm low of 30, a five degree spread and warm day. In 1968 the high was 38 with a warm low of 32, a six degree spread and warm day. In 1967 the high was 11 with a low of -11, a cold day. In 1966 the high was 11 with a low of -7, a cold day. In 1965 the low was a cold 1 degree. In 1964 the high was 48 with a low of 27, a warm day. In 1962 the high was 6 with a low of -6, a cold day. In 1960 the high was 32 with a low of 25, a seven degree spread. In 1959 the low was a cold -1 degree.

On the cold side, in 1994 the high was the record coldest high of -11 with the record low of -21. That high of -11 tied the record for the coldest high ever with December 24, 1983. Other lows in 1994 were: Lake Villa: -26; Aurora, DeKalb and Marengo: -24; Rockford and Elgin: -23; Waukegan and Wheaton: -22; Midway: -20. A decade earlier, in 1984, the high was 8 with a low of -10. In 1997 the high was 6 with a low of -5. Five years earlier, in 1992, the high was 11 with a low of -1. In 1979 the high was 23 with a low of -8. Another cold low was 1 in 2005. 25 of the last 32 lows (78%) were: single digits (10), 10s (aka teens) (6) and 20s (9). Five lows were in the cold: negative 20s (1), negative 10s (aka negative teens) (1) and negative single digits (3). Two lows were in the warmer 30s. Through Winter 2010-11, this is the average coldest day of the year.

And now a note about the consecutive days of measurable snowfall record. The record (until January '09) was eight consecutive days set from December 13-20 in 1973. In January '09 we had nine. The amounts and days were: 6th (1.2), 7th (0.8), 8th (0.1), 9th (3.6), 10th (8.4), 11th (0.1), 12th (1.5), 13th (0.1) and 14th (2.2) for a total of 18 inches.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:47 and sunrise is at 7:18. Sunset is at 16:50 and twilight ends at 17:20. There's a total of 9 hours, 32 minutes of daylight today and 10 hours, 33 minutes between twilights. We gained three minutes of daylight from yesterday. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:47 and sunrise is at 7:18. The moon is waxing gibbous and will be full tomorrow at 15:21. Illumination was 96% at midnight, will be 98% at noon and 99% at midnight tonight. Moonset is at 6:12 this morning. Moonrise is at 15:45 this afternoon. Moonset is at 6:56 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 14 hours, 27 minutes which is 18 minutes shorter than yesterday.

National Freedom Day is in 14 days and Groundhog Day is in 15 days. -Bernie-