The National Meteorological Center released three separate alerts for cold air, strong winds and snowstorms on Sunday as the cold air mass that began to affect China on Friday marched across the country.
According to weather.com.cn, which is run by the China Meteorological Administration, global warming has resulted in more frequent weather extremes being seen this year, with record-breaking cold waves occurring in late October and early November.
On Monday, the cold air is expected to rapidly descend southward and affect most of the central and eastern parts of China, the center forecast.
By Tuesday, the Bohai, Yellow and East China seas will face strong winds of up to about 100 kilometers per hour, it said.
The winds are expected to carry floating sand and dust to northern areas, including Beijing and Tianjin.
Fang Chong, chief forecaster of the center, said that the harsh weather is being caused by a cold air mass originating in Siberia, Russia.
"This bout of cold wave will sweep across China faster than the previous one in early November because airflow is stronger under the current weather conditions," he said. "The weather system is more complicated than before, with blizzards, rain, sand and dust finding their paths in North and South China."
The website said it was a coincidence that a cold wave decided to descend upon China over the weekend, inhibiting outdoor activities, but that if global warming intensifies, it could lead to more frequent cold waves that will not be so coincidental.