February 1: ORD

Today is February 1st. It's the 32nd day of the year. 333 days remain. It's week 5 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 31 and the normal low is 16. The 32-year averages are 33 and 18.

On the warm side, in 1987 the high was 47 with a low of 34. Three years later, in 1990, the high was 52 with a low of 29. The year before, in 1989, the high was 52 with a low of 28. Our only 50s highs occurred in back-to-back years. A decade later, in 1999, the high was 44 with a low of 35. More recently, in 2006, the high was 48 with a low of 31. In 1998 the high was 45 with a low of 33. In 1986 the high was 46 with a low of 30. In 1995 the high was 42 with a low of 32. Other warm lows were 32 in 2003 and 28 in 1983. The record high of 56 was set in 1968 and the record warmest low of 41 was set way back in 1877. 16 of the last 32 highs (50%) were 30s. On the warmer side, eight highs (25%) were in the: 40s (6) and 50s (2). On the cold side, eight highs (25%) were in the: single digits (1), 10s (a.k.a. teens) (2) and 20s (5).

In looking back through the years to the first February at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1978 the high was 18 with a low of 4, a cold day. In 1976 the high was 36 with a cold low of -3, a 39 degree spread. In 1973 the high was 48 with a low of 42, a six degree spread and warm day. In 1971 the high was 5 with a low of -5, a cold day. In 1970 the high was 47 with a low of 36, a warm day. In 1968 the high was 54 with a low of 37, a warm day and year of the record high. In 1966 the low was a cold -2 degrees. In 1965 the high was 15 with a low of -4, a cold day. In 1964 the high was a warm 43 with a low of 27, a warm day. In 1960 the high was 34 with a warm low of 28, a spread of six degrees. In 1959 the high was 14 with a low of -3, a cold day.

More recently, there were small spreads of two degrees in 2003 (34/32), five degrees in 1983 (33/28) and six degrees three years ago (30/24).

On the cold side, in 1985 the high was 4 with the record low of -14. In 1996 the high was 10 with a low of -8. A couple of years earlier, in 1994, the high was 11 with a low of -9. In 1980 the high was 21 with a low of -1. A couple of years later, in 1982, the high was 23 with a low of -1. Another cold low was 4 in 2001. The record coldest high of 3 was set way back in 1895. 25 of the last 32 lows (78%) were in the: 10s (a.k.a. teens) (8), 20s (10) and 30s (7). Seven lows (22%) were in the cold: negative 10s (1), negative single digits (4) and single digits (2).

Today is a major day in O'Hare's snow history. Two years ago, in 2009, it was the second day of a two-day tally of 7.4 inches. 3.5 inches fell.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:37 and sunrise is at 7:07. Sunset is at 17:07 and twilight ends at 17:37. There's a total of 10 hours of daylight today and 11 hours between twilights. We gained two minutes of daylight from yesterday. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:36 and sunrise is at 7:06. The moon is waning crescent. Illumination was 3% at midnight, will be 2% at noon and 1% at midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 6:06 this morning. Moonset is at 16:01 this afternoon. Moonrise is at 6:37 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 9 hours, 55 minutes which is 26 minutes longer than yesterday.

National Freedom Day is today and Groundhog Day is tomorrow. Lincoln's Birthday is in 11 days. -Bernie-