BEIJING, Jan. 24 - Moderate and heavy smog will linger in southern and central parts of north China and the Guanzhong area of Shaanxi Province, while a cold front will bring cold weather to eastern and central China over the next three days, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said on Friday.

The NMC forecasted that a weak cold front is to sweep the areas north of the Yangtze River and bring the temperatures down by four to eight degrees Celsius in the coming three days. The northern part of the Shandong Peninsula will see sleet on Friday.

The NMC added that snow and snowstorms will hit the northwestern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Saturday and Sunday.