A cold wave is expected to sweep north China and areas along the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River over the next three days, China's meteorological authority said Sunday.

Temperatures in most parts of the country will fall by 6 to 8 degrees Celsius, while some regions may see temperatures plunge by 10 to 12 degrees, the National Meteorological Center said in a statement on its website.

Sandstorms will hit parts of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia as well as Gansu and Shaanxi over the coming two days.

Rain and sleet are forecast to hit northeast China and north China, while parts of Jilin province will see heavy snow, the center said.

Meanwhile, strong winds are forecast for the country's eastern coastal areas over the next three days.

Gales will buffet southwestern areas of the South China Sea as the tropical storm Pakhar is expected to make landfall in south Vietnam within days, according to the statement.