Parts of northeast China and the eastern Shandong Province would be hit by heavy snowstorms triggered by a strong cold current expected to sweep much of the country from Dec. 3 to Dec. 5, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said on Wednesday.

The strongest cold current the country has encountered so far this winter would also bring sand storms to the western provinces of Xinjiang, Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia on Wednesday and Thursday, the CMA warned.

According to the CMA forecast, most of north China will see a temperature drop of 8 to 10 degrees Celsius, with some regions experiencing a fall of more than 14 degrees, as the cold front from western Siberia moves through.

Southern China will also experience a temperature drop of 6 to 10 degrees Celsius.

The state weather observatory has launched a cold weather emergency response plan on Wednesday to tackle potential disasters caused by the coming cold front.

National and 23 provincial meteorological departments have been ordered to be on high alert and closely monitor the cold current and snowstorms.

(Xinhua News Agency December 3, 2008)