People visit the Bund in front of Pudong Lujiazui financial area on a hazy day in Shanghai Jan 16, 2013. [China Daily]

With the cold front, the city's temperature should start to drop today, forecasters said.

Today is expected to be cloudy with a low of around 1 degree Celsius and a high around 5 degrees in downtown. The low tomorrow is expected to drop to minus 1 degree Celsius tomorrow, with a high of 6 degrees, according to the observatory.

The mercury will drop to the freezing point this morning in the suburbs and the windy will make it feel ever colder, said Kong. "The weather should be colder over the weekend and the low in the suburbs could reach minus 3 degrees. The wind should turn lighter by then."

Despite the big chill in the mornings, the city should feel warmer during the day with some sun, Kong said.