Two Uygur locals walk through the snow with food they bought for the upcoming Corban Festival on December 23 in Urumchi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Tuesday, December 3, 2008. Cold air swept through Xinjiang bringing heavy snow to the northern part of the region. [Photo: cnsphoto]

The strongest cold air so far this winter will move from the northwest into southeast China, with strong winds, a drop in temperature and rain and snow expected in most places across China over the next two days.

China News Service reported that China's Central Meteorological Observatory has issued this year's first cold air orange warning alert on Tuesday evening.