Cold front to bring mix of snow, sleet

A powerful cold front was forecast to sweep through vast areas of China from north to south for nine days starting Sunday, bringing a mix of snow, sleet and lower temperatures.

Central and eastern residents, who have so far been enjoying a warming January, will experience freezing winds and blizzards for the rest of this month, the National Meteorological Center said on Sunday.

"From Monday to Friday, the vast central and eastern regions will see a major drop in temperature, up to 14 degrees, turning the warmer January into a colder one," said Zhang Fanghua, the center's chief forecaster, who added that chilly gusts will make people feel even colder. The average daily temperature until Sunday in these regions has been higher than the average level in the past 30 years, according to data from the center, but the cold front is expected to send it below the average level by 2 to 5 degrees. In addition, after the cold front fades on Friday, a new bout will arrive one day later to keep the freezing weather around until the end of the month, she said.