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© Tribune illustration / March 10, 2012
Chicago's mild winter reaches another milestone on Tuesday: 319 days without an inch of snow falling.

That ties the record set in 1940. Wednesday will break the record and, with temperatures forecast to surge into the 50s Friday and Saturday, the record streak will continue.

While Chicago has seen 1.3 inches of snow through Jan. 6 this winter, it has yet to see a calendar day with at least an inch of snow falling.

On average, the lowest temperature logged in a Chicago winter is 9 degrees below zero, and only 13 winters of the past 142 have failed to log at least one sub-zero reading. To date, this season's lowest reading has been 10 degrees (above zero).

A shift to temperatures more typical of January, possibly accompanied by snow, is forecast for late Saturday and Sunday.

Until then, expect considerably higher temperatures and much-needed rain.