BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Cold air cooling north China is moving eastward but smog will linger in the north, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said Sunday.

Cold front will bring heavy snow or sleet to parts of Gansu Province, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Shaanxi Province Sunday, with some areas likely to be battered by snowstorm.

The cold front will move eastward, bring temperature drops of 4-6 degrees centigrade as well as wind to north China and most parts of the country's central and east regions.

Thick smog that has choked China's northern and northeastern areas will linger Sunday and is expected to disperse Monday as a cold front arrives, the NMC said.

Rain will continue to dampen most of southern China provinces in the coming two days.