March 3: ORD

Today is March 3rd. It's the 62nd day of the year. 303 days remain. It's week 9 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. ORD has been the official site of record for Chicago since Thursday, January 17, 1980.

According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the normal high is 41 and the normal low is 24. I've calculated the 32-year averages at 38 and 22.

On the warm side, in 1983 the high was 73 with a low of 37, a 36 degree spread. In 2004 the high was 47 (our most recent 40s high) with a low of 38. Another warm high was 56 three years ago in 2008. Another warm low was 36 in 1992. The record high of 80 was set in 1974 and the record warmest low of 48 occurred way back in 1880. 26 of the last 32 highs (81%) were in the: 30s (17) and 40s (9). On the warmer side, one high was in the 50s and one high was in the 70s. Remarkably, there have been no highs in the 60s at O'Hare on this date ever. On the cold side, four highs were in the 20s.

In looking back through the years to the first March at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1978 the high was a cold 22 with a low of 14, a cold day. In 1977 the high was 46 with a warm low of 39, a seven degree spread. In 1974 the high was 76 with a low of 42, a 34 degree spread, a warm day and also the day of the record high. In 1973 the high was 55 with a low of 46, a warm day. In 1971 the high was a cold 29 degrees. In 1970 the high was 55 with a low of 40, a warm day. In 1968 the high was 46 with a cold low of 10, a 36 degree spread. In 1966 the high was 58 with a low of 44, a warm day. In 1964 the low was a warm 38 degrees. In 1961 the high was a warm 57 degrees. In 1960 the high was 23 with a low of 8, a cold day.

More recently, we had small spreads of four degrees in 1992 (40/36), seven degrees on three days: 1985 (36/29), 1998 (37/30) and 2007 (27/20). There was one large spread of 32 degrees three years ago in 2008 (56/24).

On the cold side, in 2002 the high was 21 with a low of 0. In 1996 the high was 25 with a low of 1. In 2003 the high was 31 with a low of 8. In 1980 the high was 35 with a low of 8. Another cold low was 12 in 1995. Other cold highs were 27 in 1982 and 27 in 2007. The record low of -6 and the record coldest high of 8 were set on the same cold day way back in 1873. 15 of the last 32 lows (47%) were in the 20s. 11 lows (34%) were in the cold: single digits (4) and 10s (a.k.a. teens) (7). Six lows (19%) were in the warmer 30s.

Today is a major day in Chicago's snow history. In 2002, 0.8 inches fell. This was the third of four days in which a total of 10.2 inches fell. This comprised 91% of the month's total of 11.2 inches. In 1982, 0.1 inches fell. This was the second of three days in which 12.1 inches fell.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:58 and sunrise is at 6:26. Sunset is at 17:45 and twilight ends at 18:14. There's a total of 11 hours, 19 minutes of daylight today and 12 hours, 16 minutes between twilights. We gained two minutes of daylight from yesterday. Tomorrow twilight begins at 5:56 and sunrise is at 6:24. The moon is waning crescent and will be new tomorrow at 14:46. Illumination was 2% at midnight, will be 1% at noon and 1% at midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 5:34 this morning. Moonset is at 16:58 this afternoon. Moonrise is at 5:57 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 11 hours, 24 minutes which is 34 minutes longer than yesterday.

Mardi Gras is in five days. Ash Wednesday is in six days. The cool part of Spring (Cool Spring) begins in nine days on March 12. Cool Spring runs for 32 days, through April 12. High temperatures in this period are usually in the 30s, 40s and 50s. Warmer 60s and 70s occur infrequently. -Bernie-