BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Strong winds and chilly temperatures will hit north China as a cold front sweeps the region over the next two days, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said Monday.

Winds at speeds of 19.8 to 49.68 km per hour would blow over central and east Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, northeast and north China, said the CMA in a forecast on its website.

It fell sleet and rains in central and eastern Inner Mongolia, said the autonomous regional meteorological bureau, adding most of the region was gripped by frosty weather Monday and the situation would continue till Tuesday morning, alongside a drop of 8 to 10 degrees Celsius in temperatures in some parts of the autonomous region.

A strong gale began to ravage north China's Hebei Province Monday at about 1:30 p.m., blowing dust around and turning most parts of the province dark for about one-and-half hours, according to the provincial meteorological bureau.

A wild wind, mixed with rain, also hit Jinan City, capital of east China's Shandong Province Monday at around 5 p.m., which severely affected air quality in the city.

Temperatures would also plummet by more than 10 degrees Celsius in some other provinces like northeastern Heilongjiang Province and Shandong Province, the CMA and local meteorological authorities said.

Parts of north China's Shanxi Province were also struck by strong winds, sleet and rains Monday, and the cold front would continue to haunt the province Tuesday, said Shanxi provincial meteorological service.

The south Xinjiang Basin, southeast Inner Mongolia and west Jilin Province would see floating dust after a severe sandstorm swept across northwest China Sunday, according to the forecast.

The CMA urged local authorities to take measures to minimize possible damage caused by the sandy weather.

A sandstorm engulfed north China region over the weekend, causing economic losses and killing three people in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The strong sandstorm, mixed with rain and snow, lasted nearly 16 hours in Alashanzuo Banner in western Inner Mongolia, the worst-hit region. It caused 8.7 million yuan (1.27 million U.S. dollars) of direct economic losses and affected more than 17,000 residents as of Monday, according to the banner's Civil Affairs Department.

Gansu Province, which was blanketed over the weekend with the worst sandstorm in nine years, reported that 1.42 million people were negatively affected, with 460 people evacuated and relocated.

Editor: Lin Zhi