October 14: ORD

Today is October 14th. It's the 288th day of the year. 78 days remain. It's week 42 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 63 and the normal low is 43. The 29-year averages are 62 and 44.

On the warm side, in 1989 the high was 85 with a low of 52 (a 33 degree spread). In 2000 the high was 74 with a low of 60. In 1984 the high was 70 with a low of 62 (an 8 degree spread). Another warm high was 76 in 2005. Other pre-1979 warm days at O'Hare were in 1975 (85/62), 1968 (81/64), 1966 (70/63), 1963 (77/29) and 1962 (86/61). The record high of 89 was set in 1975 (at Midway) and the record warmest low of 66 was set way back in 1879. 14 of the 29 highs have been in the 60s. Eight highs have been in the 50s and four have been in the 70s.

The other large spread was 31 degrees in 1979 (62/31). The other small spreads were 8 degrees in both 2004 (56/48) and last year (61/53). The spread was 9 degrees in both 1981 (61/52) and 1995 (52/43).

On the cool side, two years ago the high was 50 with a low of 32. In 1986 the high was 48 with a low of 34. In 1997 the high was 49 with a low of 35. Other cool lows were 30 in 2002 and 31 in 1979. Another cool high was 52 in 1995. The record low of 27 was set way back in 1872 and the record coolest high of 43 was set back in 1937. 23 of the 29 lows have been 30s (11) and 40s (12).

The following astronomical data is provided by the United States Naval Observatory. In Crystal Lake, twilight begins at 6:37 and sunrise is at 7:05. Sunset is at 18:12 and twilight ends at 18:40. Twilight begins tomorrow at 6:38 and sunrise is at 7:07. There's a total of 11 hours, 7 minutes of daylight today and 12 hours, 3 minutes between twilights. The moon is full today at 15:02 (the full Hunter's moon). Illumination was 99% at midnight, will be 100% at noon and 100% at midnight tonight. Moonset is at 6:54 this morning. Moonrise is at 17:49 this afternoon and moonset is at 8:12 tomorrow morning. Moonlight time is 13 hours, 5 minutes today.

United Nations Day is in ten days. My oldest sister, Mary Ann, will celebrate a birthday in 12 days. Halloween is in 17 days. -Bernie-