The weather across much of the country will be generally favorable during the upcoming May Day holiday, while holidaymakers should prepare for temperature swings in the north and rainfall in the south, according to China's National Meteorological Center.

Huang Zhuo, deputy director of the center, said the early part of the holiday will see mostly sunny to cloudy skies nationwide. By the latter half, however, southern parts of China are expected to experience rainfall.

The north will be more affected by cold air, bringing periods of strong winds and noticeable temperature fluctuations throughout the holiday. From May 1 to 2, parts of the Northwest China, Huanghuai region, and Jianghuai region could see daily maximum temperatures reaching 32 to 35 C.

From May 3 to 5, parts of the Southwest and South China will experience moderate to heavy rainfall, with some areas seeing downpours, Huang said.

"Most of northern China will experience 'comfortable' or 'very comfortable' conditions for much of the holiday, making it suitable for outdoor activities," he said at a news conference on Monday.

However, the frequent cold air incursions are expected to elevate the risk of influenza in regions including parts of Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and North China between May 1 and 4, urging the public to take preventative measures.

Xiao Chan, deputy director of the National Climate Center, said compared to the average for this time of year, average temperatures in North and Northeast China are expected to be 1 to 3 C lower, while most other areas will be near or slightly warmer than usual.

Three cold air events are anticipated to affect northern China in May, slightly more than the average, occurring around May 2 to 4, May 7 to 9, and May 24 to 25, he added.

Xiao emphasized the need to prevent drought, as well as hot and dry winds from negatively impacting crop growth. Meanwhile, southern China should be prepared for heavy rainfall and severe convective weather, he added.