Most parts of north China will be choked with dust and sand from late this week to tomorrow, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Bicyclists brave a sandstorm in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, yesterday when this spring first such weather hit the autonomous region and other parts of north China.

The duststorms will be the largest and strongest so far this year, said Qiao Lin, a senior CMA engineer.

Meantime, a cold snap will hit China over the next five days with temperatures dropping about 10 degrees Celsius, Qiao said yesterday.

The cold snap will sweep northern China, central China and eastern China, with temperatures falling by 8 to 10 degrees Celsius. Some parts will observe drops of 12 to 16 degrees Celsius. The lowest temperature in southern China will be below zero.

In the next five days, heavy rain will lash southern China and snow will blanket eastern Inner Mongolia and northeastern China.

In the north, the dust and sandstorms are expected to affect the provinces and autonomous regions of Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, northern Shaanxi, central-northern Shanxi, western Jilin and western and northern Liaoning.

Among those areas, sandstorms will hit parts of middle-western Gansu, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia.

This kind of weather is usual between February and May, while March and April see the most frequent and strongest storms.

Traffic safety will be affected due to low visibility and the bad air quality will affect patients with respiratory diseases.

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is expected to be hit by a sandstorm this weekend along with dropping temperatures and strong winds, according to the regional meteorological bureau.

The sandstorm, expected between yesterday and Sunday, will affect most of the region, said Kang Ling, deputy bureau head.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2006)