After being blanketed by the worst sandstorm in five years, northwest China's Gansu Province was hit by snow on Tuesday and faces severe frosts in the next two days.

Snow and rain were forecast over almost the entire province in the next two days and frosts were imminent, said Yang Jiancai, chief forecaster of the Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau, on Tuesday.

Yang said the frosts could "seriously damage" crops and paralyze transportation in some areas.

Temperatures dropped by 12.3 to 17.7 degrees Celsius in western Gansu Monday, with the maximum of 27 degrees Celsius in its far northwest, according to meteorological statistics.

"Temperatures will drop further, and frosts will occur in eastern Gansu in the next two days," said Yang.

Snow began to fall Tuesday noon in Lanzhou, the provincial capital, bringing work to an end on construction sites.

The air quality in Lanzhou dropped to hazardous level Monday afternoon, but Yang said, "I expect that the weather and air to improve after the snowfall."

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2006)