000 FXUS64 KBMX 302004 AFDBHM AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 205 PM CST TUE DEC 30 2003 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL SHIFT SLOWLY EAST THROUGH THURSDAY MAINTAINING DRY CONDITIONS OVER THE FORECAST AREA. THE NEXT CHANCE OF RAIN WILL ARRIVE THURSDAY NIGHT. && .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY) A DRY SEASONABLY COOL NIGHT IS ON TAP FOR TONIGHT AS THE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE SETTLES ACROSS THE AREA. GRADUALLY MODERATING TEMPS AND CONTINUED DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AS THE HIGH SHIFTS SLOWLY EAST OF THE AREA. && .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) A NEARLY ZONAL FLOW ALOFT WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA BY FRIDAY AS RETURN FLOW ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE DEPARTING SURFACE RIDGE ALLOWS FOR INCREASING MOISTURE. EMBEDDED IMPULSES IN THE FLOW ALOFT WILL COMBINE WITH THE INCREASED MOISTURE TO PRODUCE AN UNSETTLED PATTERN FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE AREA BY MONDAY NIGHT WITH COOLER AND DRIER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT BRINGING AN END TO OUR RAIN CHANCES TUESDAY. && .PRELIMINARY NUMBERS... BIRMINGHAM 29 61 36 65 47 / 00 00 00 00 MONTGOMERY 30 63 36 67 47 / 00 00 00 00 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$