BEIJING, Oct. 12 -- Residents of North China have to get their heavy woollens out from today with a cold front closing in and temperatures set to drop appreciably.

    Beijingers will feel autumn slipping away with the leaves blown away by increasingly cold winds. Winter will set in by the middle of next month.

    Strong, cold currents are expected to sweep in from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region across most northern areas.

    In the next three days, the mercury is likely to drop by as much as 12 C in some regions stretching from Northwest China's Gansu Province to North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and parts of Northeast China, the Beijing-based National Meteorological Centre (NMC) said yesterday.

    The currents are forecast to move from west to east in the days ahead with most areas north of the Huaihe River experiencing chilly weather.

    Northerly winds of force 4 to 6 are also to blow with gusts of up to force 7 in some regions causing temperature drops ranging from 4 C to 8 C in most areas and 10 C to 12 C in some.

    The winds will bring in their wake rain, snow or sleet to eastern Northwest China and areas stretching from North China to Northeast China as well as regions between the Yellow River and the Huaihe River.

    The precipitation will further cool down the autumn weather for those living in North China.

    South China and most of the areas south of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River will see cloudy days with rising temperatures.

    But beginning tomorrow, a cold current from Gansu Province will gradually turn south and affect most of Central China and East China.

    Meanwhile, China is counting down to a manned spacecraft launch today, weather permitting, aiming to become only the third member of an exclusive club of countries that have twice put a man into space.

    The Shenzhou VI will blast off from a remote launchpad in Northwest China, Xinhua said.

    However, bad weather may cause delays.

¡¡(Source: China Daily)