March 5: ORD

Today is March 5th. It's the 64th day of the year. 301 days remain. It's week 10 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 25. I've calculated the 32-year averages at 42 and 27.

On the warm side, in 1983 the high was the record high of 75 with the record warmest low of 56. In 1992 the high was 63 with a low of 43. In 2000 the high was 69 with a low of 34, a 35 degree spread. A couple of years ago, in 2009, the high was 65 with a low of 36. Five years before, in 2004, the high was 61 with a low of 39. Another warm low was 37 in 1987. 16 of the last 32 highs (50%) were in the 30s. On the warmer side, 12 highs (38%) were in the: 40s (4), 50s (3), 60s (4) and 70s (1). On the cold side, four highs (12%) 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 23 with a low of -3, a cold day and year of the record low (0 at Midway). In 1977 the high was 38 with a low of 31, a seven degree spread. In 1976 the high was a warm 55 degrees. In 1974 the high was a warm 57 with a low of 35, a warm day. In 1973 the low was a warm 37 degrees. In 1972 the high was 22 with a low of 7, a cold day. In 1968 the high was a warm 55 degrees. In 1967 the high was 35 with a low of 29, a six degree spread. In 1963 the high was 34 with a low of 32, a mere two degree spread. In 1962 the high was a cold 26 with a low of 19, a seven degree spread. In 1960 the high was 20 with a low of 0, a cold day.

More recently, we had small spreads of three degrees in 1979 (32/29), four degrees in 1996 (33/29), six degrees in 1990 (36/30), six degrees in 2005 (41/35), seven degrees in 1995 (38/31) and seven degrees in 1998 (39/32).

On the cold side, in 1982 the high was 34 with a low of 7. In 2003 the high was 24 with a low of 19, a five degree spread. Another cold low was 12 in 2002. Other cold highs were 27 in 1989, 28 in 2001 and 29 in 1985. The record low of 0 was set in 1978 which tied the original record of 0, set way back in 1873. The record coldest high of 12 occurred way back in 1901. 29 of the last 32 lows (91%) were in the: 10s (a.k.a. teens) (8), 20s (12) and 30s (9). One low was in the cold single digits. Two lows were in the warmer: 40s (1) and 50s (1).

Today is a major day in Chicago's snow history. In 1999, 3.8 inches fell. This was the first of six days in which a total of 18.2 inches fell.

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 5:54 and sunrise is at 6:22. Sunset is at 17:48 and twilight ends at 18:16. There's a total of 11 hours, 26 minutes of daylight today and 12 hours, 22 minutes between twilights. We gained three minutes of daylight from yesterday. Tomorrow twilight begins at 5:53 and sunrise is at 6:21. The moon passed new yesterday afternoon at 14:46 and is waxing crescent. Illumination was 0% at midnight, will be 1% at noon and 2% at midnight tonight. Moonrise is at 6:19 this morning. Moonset is at 18:57 tonight. Moonrise is at 6:42 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 12 hours, 38 minutes which is 37 minutes longer than yesterday.

Mardi Gras is in three days. Ash Wednesday is in four days. The cool part of Spring (Cool Spring) begins in seven 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-