There was unseasonal snowfall in Chongli and Beijing on Friday, even though Beijing's average temperature in May is between 14 and 26 C.

Chongli, in northwest Hebei province, has been listed to host snow events in Beijing's joint bid with Zhangjiakou for the 2022 Winter Olympics, which would be held in February.

North and northeast China will see heavy rain over the next few days, with snow and sleet expected in high-altitude areas, the National Meteorological Center said on Sunday.

Areas to the south of the Yangtze River and some regions in south China will experience occasional thunderstorms and strong winds, the center added.

The NMC warned of a sharp drop in temperature to around 8 C from Sunday to Tuesday in south China.