STORMS, COLD FRONT TO USHER IN THE WEEK

Palm Beach County could also see hail, tornadoes.

Strong thunderstorms and gusty winds are likely to hit Palm Beach County this afternoon, and the nasty weather could include hail, heavy rains and tornadoes, the National Weather Service said Sunday.

While Palm Beach County should see a high of about 80 today, the afternoon’s projected storms are part of a strong cold front moving into South Florida.

By tonight, cooler and drier air should begin to pour in from the northwest.

The stormy weather and the cold to follow are unrelated to the system that has the eastern seaboard from the Carolinas to Maine bracing for what could be that region’s third nor’easter in weeks, said National Weather Service meteorologist Barry Baxter.

While it will be snowing up there, the weather here will be colder by some 10 degrees than what’s typi- cal for mid-March.

Temperatures are expected to fall each morning into the 40s and 50s across South Florida Tuesday through Friday, according to the weather service. Wednesday night into Thursday morning is expected to be the coldest, with wind chill temperatures possibly dipping into the 30s west of Lake Okeechobee.

Daytime highs during the week will struggle to hit 70 degrees, according to the forecast. Warmer weather eases in for the weekend when high temperatures head back to the low- to mid-80s.