China to brace for cold snap

BEIJING - A fresh cold front will sweep most parts of China starting Saturday, bringing temperature drops, strong winds and snow, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

The NMC announced Saturday that temperatures will drop by 6 to 8 degrees Celsius in most of North China, some regions in Southwest China and areas along and south of the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers over the next three days.

Some areas are expected to experience strong winds and see temps drop by 10 to 12 degrees Celsius, the center said.

From February 17 to 19, the cold front will also bring rain and sleet to Northwest China, areas south of the Yellow River and some areas in Northeast China, with snowfall ranging from 3 to 8 mm. Some of the areas may also receive up to 8 to 12 mm of snow.

In addition, the center said it expects Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region to be hit by a blizzard on Saturday, with 20 to 40 mm of snowfall in some areas.