A new wave of cold air will sweep across most parts of China, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall, the country's national observatory said Sunday.

Affected by the cold front, most areas in northwest China will see strong winds from Sunday to Wednesday, with the temperature dropping by 6-8 degrees Celsius, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Areas in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Gansu Province will also be hit by floating sand and dust on Sunday, the NMC said.

It also said rainfall will hit central and eastern China from Monday to Thursday due to the cold front. The provinces of Sichuan and Guizhou should expect moderate to heavy rain.

Small to moderate rain is also expected in parts of northern China from Monday to Tuesday, the center added.