China's weather observatory on Friday issued a yellow alert for smog that is expected to hit Beijing and neighbouring regions.
Beijing, Tianjin, and parts of the provinces of Hebei, Shandong and Anhui will be shrouded in smog from Friday to Saturday, the National Meteorological Centre (NMC) announced.
China has a four-tier colour-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue, Xinhua news agency reported.
After experiencing frequent bouts of smog, the Chinese public has become increasingly sensitive to the health hazards of pollution.
To address public concerns, the government aims to cut the density of particulate matters by at least 10 percent in major cities by 2017.