Most areas in the northwest and north China had light snow or sleet Monday, and the Qinghai- Tibet Plateau and central China's Henan Province had heavy snow.

A light drizzle fell in some regions in south China and the Chongqing Municipality as well as Hubei and Hunan provinces had heavy rains or storms.

Beijing had a drop in temperature and light snow fall in the suburbs Monday. It is the second time since the beginning of March there has been snow in Beijing.

According to sources from the Chinese central meteorological observatory, the northwestern mountain areas in Beijing had sleet on March 2, with a maximum snowfall of five millimeters.

Meteorologists consider the snow is the result of the interaction between the cold airflows moving down from the Northeast China Plain and the warm flows moving up from the north China region.

The latest weather forecast shows that the cold air currents have controlled the areas to the north of China's Huaihe River.

Over the next two days, Xinjiang and Tibet autonomous regions as well as some areas in northeast China will have more snow. The average temperature in the northern areas will drop by six to eight Celsius degrees, while the south will continue to be overcast and rainy, according to the forecast.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as well as northwest and north China have had snow since the beginning of March, while some areas in south China have had rain for several days.

Meteorologists said that the snow and rain will be short lived. It is predicted that Beijing weather will be clear by the middle of March with the temperature rising back up to 11 Celsius degrees.

( China Daily March 5, 2002)