THE tug of war between the warm and cold air mass will give Shanghai a wet and cloudy week, the local weather bureau said yesterday.

The warm air will prevail for the first half of the week, with highest temperatures possibly hitting 17 to 18 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

But a dramatic drop is expected around Thursday when lows could plummet to 2 to 3 degrees Celsius.

The bureau has yet to make a forecast for next Saturday when people will gather for the traditional New Year Eve's dinner, and Sunday, the first day of the Year of the Tiger.

Nationwide, the Central Meteorological Bureau said rain and snow are expected in many parts of the country.

This kind of weather could be a hassle for many people embarking on the annual journey home to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Under the dual influence of a cold front and wet air, rain is expected in most parts of China between Monday and Friday, meteorologists said.