BEIJING - Cold weather will hit central and eastern China in the coming days, bringing snow, rain and a drop in temperatures, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast Monday.

In the next 12 hours, snow and sleet is expected to strike central and eastern Inner Mongolia autonomous region, eastern parts of northeast China and the northern Shandong province, the center said.

Affected by the cold front, southern China will continue to be covered with fog, the authorities said.

The NMC predicted that most of central and eastern China will see temperatures drop by four to six degrees Celsius from Tuesday to Thursday. Some regions will see temperatures plummet by eight to ten degrees Celsius.