North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Monday experienced a sharp temperature drop along with strong gales and snow.

The cold front from Baikal Lake in the north is expected to dominate the region until Wednesday, according to the regional meteorological forecast.

The central and western parts of the region witnessed a sharp temperature drop from four to eight degrees Celsius on Monday. The lowest temperature is forecast to reach 31 degrees below zero Celsius in the western part and 40 degrees below zero Celsius in the eastern part.

The regional meteorological station said that the temperature in most of the region was one to nine degrees lower than that of the corresponding period in a normal year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2005)