May 14: ORD

Today is May 14th. It's the 134th day of the year. 231 days remain. It's week 20 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 69 and the normal low is 47. I've calculated the 32-year averages at 69 and 47.

On the warm side, in 1982 the high was the record high of 92 with a low of 60, a 32 degree spread. In 1991 the high was 87 with a low of 60. In 2007 the high was 90 with a low of 56, a 34 degree spread. In 1985 the high was 86 with a low of 54, a 32 degree spread. Other 80s highs were 84 in 1987, 84 in 1998, 81 in 1988 and 80 in 1993. The record warmest low of 68 was set in 1962. 16 of the last 32 highs (50%) were in the 60s. On the warmer side, ten highs (31%) were in the: 70s (2), 80s (6) and 90s (2). On the cold side, six highs (19%) were in the 50s.

In looking back through the years to the first May at O'Hare in 1959, the following instances were notable: In 1978 the high was a cold 48 with a low of 44, a four degree spread and cold day. In 1977 the high was a warm 82 degrees. In 1973 the high was 53 with a low of 34, a cold day. In 1970 the high was a cool 57 degrees. In 1968 the high was 78 with a warm low of 61, a warm day. In 1965 the high was a warm 84 with a low of 46, a 38 degree spread. In 1964 the high was 68 with a low of 36, a 32 degree spread. In 1962 the high was 86 with a low of 67, a hot day and year of the record warmest low. In 1961 the high was 83 with a low of 60, a warm day. In 1960 the high was 77 with a low of 43, a 34 degree spread. In 1959 the high was a cool 53 degrees.

More recently, we had large spreads of: 42 degrees in 1988 (81/39), 37 degrees in 1993 (80/43), 33 degrees in 1984 (69/36), 32 degrees in 1998 (84/52) and 30 degrees in 1987 (84/54).

On the cool side, in 1981 the high was 50 with a low of 45, a five degree spread. In 1996 the high was 57 with a low of 38. Other cool highs were 55 in 1997 and 56 in 2006 (our most recent 50s high). The other 30s lows were 36 in 1984 and 39 in 1988. The record low of 32 and record coldest high of 40 were set on the same day way back in 1895. 19 of the last 32 lows (59%) were in the 40s. Three lows (9%) were in the cold 30s. Ten lows (31%) were in the warmer: 50s (8) and 60s (2).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight is at 5:02 and sunrise is at 5:34. Sunset is at 20:06 and twilight ends at 20:38. There's a total of 14 hours, 32 minutes of daylight today and 15 hours, 36 minutes between twilights. We gained two minutes of daylight from yesterday. Tomorrow twilight begins at 5:00 and sunrise is at 5:32. The moon is waxing gibbous. Illumination was 86% at midnight, will be 90% at noon and 93% at midnight tonight. Moonset is at 3:23 this morning. Moonrise is at 17:10 this afternoon. Moonset is at 3:57 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 10 hours, 13 minutes which is 46 minutes shorter than yesterday.

The warm part of Spring (Warm Spring) began on April 13. Warm Spring runs for 52 days, through June 3. High temperatures in this period are usually in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Warmer 80s and 90s occur infrequently. Armed Forces Day is in seven days. National Maritime Day is in eight days. Memorial Day is in 16 days. -Bernie-