February 8: ORD

Today is February 8th. It's the 39th day of the year. 326 days remain. It's week 6 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 33 and the normal low is 17. I've calculated the 32-year averages at 32 and 16.

On the warm side, in 1990 the high was the near-record high of 61 with a low of 37. The record high is 62, set back in 1925, a day in which the record warmest low of 54 was set as well. The record high of 62 was originally set in 1900. In 2001 the high was 53 with a low of 34. Five years earlier, in 1996, the high was 45 with a low of 35. Three years later, in 1999, the high was 48 with a low of 26. Another warm high was 46 in 1987. Another warm low was 29 in 2002. 19 of the last 32 highs (59%) were in the: 30s (12) and 40s (7). On the warmer side, two highs (6%) were in the: 50s (1) and 60s (1). On the cold side, 11 highs (34%) were in the: 10s (a.k.a. teens) (7) and 20s (4).

In looking back through the years to the first February at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1978 the low was a cold 4 degrees. The following five years in a row (1971-1975) had cold days. In 1975 the high was 21 with a low of 4. In 1974 the high was 21 with a low of 5. In 1973 the high was 19 with a low of 5. In 1972 the high was 12 with a low of -4. In 1971 the high was 13 with a low of 1. In 1970 the high was 36 with a warm low of 34, a two degree spread. In 1969 the high was 35 with a warm low of 30, a five degree spread. In 1967 the high was 27 with a cold low of -1, a cold day. In 1966 the high was 52 with a low of 37, a warm day.

More recently, there was a small spread of three degrees in 1994 (17/14).

On the cold side, in 2007 the high was 11 with a low of -4. In 1979 the high was 11 with a low of -3. In 1985 the high was 18 with a low of -6. Four years later, in 1989, the high was 19 with a low of 2. In 1982 the high was 22 with a low of 1. A year earlier, in 1981, the high was 18 with a low of 5. In 1995 the high was 19 with a low of 5. Another cold low was 5 in 2004 and another cold high was 17 in 1994. The record low of -17 occurred way back in 1899 and the record coldest high of 0 occurred way back in 1895. 26 of the last 32 lows (81%) were in the: single digits (8), 10s (a.k.a. teens) (7) and 20s (11). Even colder, three lows have been in the negative single digits. On the warmer side, three lows were in the 30s.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:30 and sunrise is at 6:59. Sunset is at 17:17 and twilight ends at 17:46. There's a total of 10 hours, 18 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 16 minutes between twilights. We gained three minutes of daylight from yesterday. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:29 and sunrise is at 6:58. The moon is waxing crescent. Illumination was 22% at midnight, will be 27% at noon and 31% at midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 9:01 this morning. Moonset is at 23:05 tonight. Moonrise is at 9:28 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 14 hours, 4 minutes which is 35 minutes longer than yesterday.

Lincoln's Birthday is in four days. Valentine's Day is in six days. Susan B. Anthony Day is in seven days. -Bernie-