China will face its most intense cold winter spell from Thursday to Monday, with temperatures expected to plummet by as much as 20 degrees Celsius in some areas, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said.

The country has recently enjoyed a warming trend with clear, mild weather. However, starting Thursday, a significant cold wave will bring sharp temperature drops, widespread rain and snow, and strong winds across the nation, the CMA announced earlier this week.

The cold wave will move from west to east, beginning in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on Thursday before sweeping through northwestern regions on Friday. It is forecast to hit central and eastern regions over the weekend and reach northeastern and southern parts of the country by Monday, the agency said.

Temperatures in most areas will decrease by 8 to 12 degrees Celsius, with some regions — such as Hohhot in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region — experiencing drops of up to 20 degrees Celsius.

From Saturday to Tuesday, temperatures in Northwest and North China will hit new winter lows. The eastern part of Northwest China and the central-western part of North China are expected to bear the brunt, with some areas seeing temperature drops exceeding 14 degrees Celsius. The cold wave, combined with warm, moist air, will result in widespread precipitation, the CMA said.

Snowfall on Thursday will primarily affect northern Xinjiang, while snow is forecast for the eastern parts of Northwest China, North China, and areas south of the Yangtze River from Friday to Saturday. Snow will continue in Northeast China on Sunday and Monday.

Heavy snow is expected in parts of southern Shaanxi and Shanxi, western Henan, northwestern Hubei, northeastern Liaoning, and eastern Jilin, the CMA said.

In southern China, rainy weather will dominate. Rainfall will mainly impact the eastern part of Southwest China on Thursday, with light to moderate rain expected to spread to most southern regions from Friday to Sunday, the agency said.

The CMA noted that the cold wave and rain-snow conditions coincide with the Spring Festival travel rush, potentially affecting transportation. It urged drivers to reduce speeds and maintain greater following distances when driving in snowy conditions.