YUMEN CITY, China, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Visibility was reduced to about 1,300 feet when the first dust storm of the season struck Gansu Province in northwest China, it was reported Saturday.

The sky turned dark and yellow Friday afternoon when strong winds blew sand into Yumen City, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The sandstorm lasted into the evening, the report said.

The country's northern regions are likely to experience more frequent and severe spring sandstorms than last year, the China Meteorological Administration said this week.