Photo taken on February 7, 2008, shows raindrops on wheat seedlings in Zhongmou County, Henan Province, central China. [Xinhua]

After some parts of the drought-stricken north China embraced the long-awaited rain on Saturday, more rainfall was expected to come on Sunday, said National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Saturday.

Rain or snow is forecast for Sunday and next Monday in parts of the northwest and southwest China. They will also spread to the country's north and central regions, according to the NMC.

The provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Hubei and Anhui, the country's major wheat-growing areas which are hard-hit by the rare drought will brace rain or snow from Saturday night to Sunday. The rainfall will be less than 10 millimeters, but will help relieve the grim drought moderately.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2009)