February 9: ORD

Today is February 9th. It's the 40th day of the year. 325 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 34 and 16.

On the warm side, in 1999 the high was 54 with a low of 33. In 1990 the high was 51 with a low of 31. A decade later, in 2000, the high was 48 with a low of 33. A couple of years later, in 2002, the high was 50 with a low of 30. Two years ago the high was 53 with a low of 26. In 1996 the high was 47 with a low of 30. Five years earlier, in 1991, the high was 47 with a low of 28. A decade later, in 2001, the high was 54 with a low of 20. Other warm highs were 46 in both 1984 and 1998. Another warm low was 29 in 1983. The record high of 56 was set way back in 1886. The record warmest low of 47 occurred in 1966. 17 of the last 32 highs (53%) were: 20s (7) and 30s (10). On the warmer side, ten highs (31%) were in the: 40s (5) and 50s (5). On the cold side, five highs (16%) were in the: single digits (1) and 10s (a.k.a. teens) (4).

In looking back through the years to the first February at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: in 1976 the high was a warm 46 degrees. In 1975 the high was 4 with a low of -7, a cold day. In 1974 the high was 24 with a cold low of 2, a cold day. In 1973 the high was 22 with a cold low of 2, another cold day. In 1972 the high was 20 with a low of -2, a cold day. In 1971 the high was 14 with a low of -2, yet another cold day. In 1968 the low was a cold 3 degrees. In 1966 the high was 55 with a low of 47, a warm day and year of the record warmest low. In 1965 the high was 49 with a low of 31, another warm day. In 1960 the high was 35 with a warm low of 29, a six degree spread.

More recently, there were small spreads of four degrees in 1983 (33/29), five degrees last year (28/23) and seven degrees in 2005 (31/24).

On the cold side, in 1979 the high was 8 with a low of -6. Three years later, in 1982, the high was 14 with a low of -9. In 1994 the high was 15 with a low of -7, our most recent negative digit low. Five years earlier, in 1989, the high was 18 with a low of -4. In 2007 the high was 17 with a low of 2. In 1986 the high was 20 with a low of 2. Other cold lows were 4 in 2003 and 5 in 1985. The record low of -21 and record coldest high of -8 were set on the same day way back in 1899. 23 of the last 32 lows (72%) were in the: single digits (6), 10s (a.k.a. teens) (7) and 20s (10). Even colder, four lows were in the negative single digits. On the warmer side, five lows were in the 30s.

Today is a major day in Chicago's snow history. In 1981, 0.4 inches fell. This was the first day of a three day, 11.6 inch storm. This storm comprised 73% of the month's total.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:29 and sunrise is at 6:58. Sunset is at 17:18 and twilight ends at 17:47. There's a total of 10 hours, 20 minutes of daylight today and 11 hours, 18 minutes between twilights. We gained two minutes of daylight from yesterday. Tomorrow twilight begins at 6:27 and sunrise is at 6:57. The moon is waxing crescent. Illumination was 31% at midnight, will be 35% at noon and 40% at midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 10:20 this morning. Moonset is at six minutes past midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 9:59 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 14 hours, 32 minutes which is 28 minutes longer than yesterday.

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