BEIJING: Residents in some areas were warned not to go outside as strong winds swept Beijing and parts of northern China on Saturday, causing hundreds of flights to be cancelled and rail services suspended, state media said.

The potentially record-breaking winds stemmed mainly from a "cold vortex system" that formed over Mongolia and was sweeping across northern China from Friday through the weekend, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said.

"The strongest winds are expected during the daytime of April 12, with wind speeds at some observation stations approaching or even surpassing historical records for the same period since 1951," the CMA said in a statement.

It warned residents in those areas not to go outdoors "unless necessary."