Spring not only brings flowers and warmth after the long northern winter - but also dust and sand, as residents in Inner Mongolia and Beijing were reminded yesterday.

　　Influenced by cold air, northerly gusts swept most parts of northern China and will continue for the days ahead, with temperatures dropping abruptly in some places, weather forecast warned yesterday.

　　Rainy and wintry weather will sweep eastern parts of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region as well the southeastern and southwestern China.

　　Many parts of northern China also suffered sandstorms yesterday.

　　In Beijing, the blue alarm was raised as a five- to six- scale wind approached, covering the Chinese capital in dust.

　　Caused by the cold air, Beijing's daytime temperature dropped to 9 C yesterday from 16.5 C a day ago, and it could drop to -1 C at night, reminding people not to pack away winter cloths in a hurry.

　　However, meteorologic experts in the capital said the strength of the gusts will dwindle quickly by the morning and the highest temperature today will climb to 13 C.