A cold snap, which is expected to arrive this weekend, will bring an end to Beijing's hottest autumn in 55 years, according to meteorologists.

A woman covers her face with a scarf as a cold snap arrives in Beijing, November 4, 2006. [Newsphoto]

Local people will probably have to take out their sweaters and jackets to meet a chilly and windy Beijing, as the temperature may drop down to zero over the weekend.

Beijing Meteorological Office said the temperature in the city will drop to 16 C to 5 C on Saturday, compared with Friday's temperatures of 19 C to 8 C. The mercury is expected to plummet even further to between 10 C and 0 C by Sunday. Both days will be accompanied by strong winds of at least force four to five.

The cold snap will also affect North and Northeast China, where temperatures will even drop by more than 12 C in three days. Meanwhile, frost will appear in most parts of Central China. Heavy snow will fall in Heilongjiang Province, as well as in the Tibet and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions.

"Though the temperature will rebound a little early next week, winter will arrive in Beijing by the middle of the month," Beijing-based meteorologist Guo Jinlan told China Daily.

Beijingers have been enjoying a warm October, with the average temperature being 2.7 C higher than the same period in previous years, statistics indicate.

In common with Beijing, 24 provinces across the country have witnessed their warmest October since 1951. In parts of Shandong and Hebei provinces and Beijing and Tianjin municipalities, temperatures were as high as 29 C to 31 C in early October.

"The main reason for the 'hot autumn' in Beijing was the lack of cold air and strong winds, which have been very frequent in previous years," Guo said.

Another important reason for the rising temperature is the El Nino effect, the expert said.

"High temperatures have worsened Beijing's drought, but it is still too early to predict if this winter will be warmer than other years or not, since there are lots of elements affecting Beijing's weather."