WEATHER forecasters are advising Shenzhen residents to dig out their winter clothes and bring an umbrella to work today, as temperatures are expected to drop by 10 degrees Celsius with this year's first thunderstorm expected.

If it does arrive, the first thunderstorm will be nearly a month later than average years, the meteorological observatory said yesterday.

On an average year in the past half-century, the first thunderstorm came around March 4, according to the observatory, but it said the late arrival was not necessarily abnormal.

Apart from thunderstorms, Shenzheners will also experience sharp temperature falls early this week, due to the influence of a strong cold front from the north.

The temperatures will drop to between 17 and 13 degrees Celsius, according to the observatory, which said such low temperatures are not rare for spring.

Residents are reminded to close windows and turn off power before leaving home, and put on warm clothes during the stormy days.

Rain in Shenzhen will die out from Thursday, with temperatures rising again.

The cold front has already brought snow to Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, thunderstorms to Central China and a sandstorm to Beijing during the weekend.

Beijing was blanketed by floating dust from Friday on.

Meanwhile, sandstorms are forecast in parts of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Gansu Province, Shaanxi Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Liaoning Province and some other areas in North China.

Editor: Wing