BEIJING, Dec. 21 -- Heavy haze will continue to shroud some cities in central and east China as no cold front is in sight to help disperse them, the national observatory forecast on Saturday.

The southern parts of north China, some regions along the Yellow and Huai rivers, and areas south of the Yangtze River will experience haze on Saturday, with visibility less than 1,000 meters, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said.

The condition will last till Dec. 25, the center forecast.

Since the beginning of this month, large parts of China have seen smoggy weather, which has led to closures of highways and schools as well as flight delays.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has blamed unfavorable weather patterns, vehicle exhaust and coal burning for winter heating for the problems.