January 28: ORD

Today is January 28th. It's the 28th day of the year. 337 days remain. It's week 4 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 30 and the normal low is 14. The 32-year averages are 31 and 16.

On the warm side, in 2006 the high was 49 with a low of 36. In 1989 the high was 49 with a low of 34. In 2002 the high was 47 with a low of 34. Four years before, in 1998, the high was 40 with a low of 31. Another warm high was 44 three years ago. That high of 44 was also our most recent 40s high. Other warm lows were 31 in 1999, 29 in 1979 and 27 in 1992. The record high of 60 was set back in 1914 (originally in 1876) and the record warmest low of 40 was set in 1968. 16 of the last 32 highs (50%) were in the 30s. Our most recent 30s high was 31 in 2003. On the warmer side, five highs (16%) were in the 40s. On the cold side, 11 highs (34%) were in the: 20s (5), 10s (a.k.a. teens) (5), and single digits (1).

In looking back through the years to the first January at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: in 1978 the high was 14 with a low of 2, a cold day. In 1977 the high was 20 with a cold low of -11, a 31 degree spread, year of the record low and cold day. In 1976 the high was 39 with a low of 3, a 36 degree spread. In 1975 the high was 40 with a warm low of 30, a warm day. In 1974 the high was 34 with a warm low of 27, a seven degree spread. In 1972 the high was 10 with a low of -8, a cold day. In 1971 the high was 11 with a low of -3, another cold day. In 1970 the high was 51 with a low of 35, a warm day. In 1969 the high was 39 with a warm low of 31, another warm day. In 1968 the high was 45 with a low of 38, a seven degree spread, a warm day and year of the record warmest low. In 1966 the high was -4 with a low of -14, a cold day and year of the record coldest high. In 1965 the high was 26 with a cold low of -6, a 32 degree spread and cold day. In 1964 the low was a cold 1 degree. In 1963 the high was 8 with a low of -14, a cold day. In 1962 the high was 26 with a low of 20, a six degree spread. In 1961 the high was 21 with a cold low of 0, a cold day. In 1960 the high was 34 with a warm low of 29, a five degree spread.

More recently, there were small spreads of three degrees in 1979 (32/29) and 1999 (34/31). The spread was six degrees in 1992 (33/27).

On the cold side, in 1997 the high was 9 with a low of -5. In 1980 the high was 11 with a low of 0. In 2004 the high was 11 with a low of 2. In 1986 the high was 18 with a low of 1. Other cold lows were 2 degrees in 1985 and two decades later in 2005. Other cold highs were 18 two years ago and 17 last year. The record low of -13 was set in 1977 (originally in 1963) and the record coldest high of -3 occurred in 1966. 17 of the last 32 lows (53%) were in the: single digits (11) and 10s (a.k.a. teens) (6). Our most recent 10s low (teens) was 14 in 2001. One low (3%) was in the cold negative single digits (-5 in 1997). 14 lows (44%) were in the warmer: 20s (9) and 30s (5).

Today is not a major day in O'Hare's snow history! The next one is in two days when I'll be writing about two events.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:41 and sunrise is at 7:12. Sunset is at 17:02 and twilight ends at 17:32. There's a total of 9 hours, 50 minutes of daylight today and 10 hours, 51 minutes between twilights. We gained a minute of daylight from yesterday. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:40 and sunrise is at 7:10. The moon is waning crescent, having reached last quarter two mornings ago at 6:57. Illumination was 32% at midnight, will be 27% at noon and 22% at midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 2:49 this morning. Moonset is at 12:04 this afternoon. Moonrise is at 3:50 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 9 hours, 15 minutes which is 21 minutes shorter than yesterday.

National Freedom Day is in four days and Groundhog Day is in five days. -Bernie-