Heavy fog ushered in an awkward start for the last month of Beijing's "blue sky campaign," a goal set for the municipality's 2004 air pollution cleanup.

Beijing is need of 18 clear-sky days in December according to the environmental protection campaign, which requires the capital to have clear sky 62 percent of a year, or 227 days.

Beijing, however, will have slightly polluted air in the first two days of the month, according to Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.

It is the first heavy fog in the national capital this winter and five of the eight expressways were blocked this morning because the visibility is less than one kilometer.

Heavy fog has enshrouded most parts of south China, north China and reaches along the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers since Tuesday. Cold front is expected to dispel the dense fog around Saturday, notes the Central Meteorological Station (CMS).

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2004)