Sandstorms are expected to hit parts of China's Inner Mongolia and northern Shannxi areas in the next two days.

On March 1 and 2, dusty weather is likely in large swathes of northern China, including Beijing and Tianjin, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) forecast on Saturday.

From March 4 to 6, strong winds will sweep north China, the eastern part of the northwest and the southern part of the northeast. Certain areas in these regions would be sandy or dusty.

The CMA said on February 20 that the country's northern regions were likely to experience more frequent and severe sandstorms in spring.

Meteorologists said the forecasts were related to the La Nina phenomenon and abnormal atmospheric circulation, which would prevail until summer.

The first regional sandstorm of the spring hit the northwestern province of Gansu on Friday, with the arid Minqin county experiencing a strong sandstorm.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2008)